Introduction



Introduction Vietnam: 1965-1975 simulates the military and political aspects of the United States' involvement in Vietnam from 1965 on. One player controls the resources of the United States, South Vietnam, and their allies. The other player controls the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of (North) Vietnam. A variety of scenarios recreating both individual operations and grand strategy of the war are provided. The shorter scenarios can be played in an evening, while a campaign game (simulating the entire war) takes several hundred hours to play to completion. THE RULESNumerical references to sections and subsections are used throughout the rules for both clarity and brevity.Only rules Sections 1 through 11 are needed to play the shorter (single operation) scenarios, and it is recommended that the players not bother with Sections 12 through 17 until they are ready for a longer game. Occasional references will be made to Sections 12-17 in the first half of the rules; such references may be ignored for the purposes of the shorter scenarios.THE MAPThe game-map depicts all of South Vietnam and adjacent areas of Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. Ii has been produced in two sections. The maps should be oriented in the same direction and assembled according to the following diagram. Some of the scenarios will require only one map. Since the southern map does not have certain charts necessary for play, place it on top of the northern map (which does have the necessary charts) in the manner indicated below to save space when a scenario calls for only the southern map. Historically significant locations and terrain features relevant to guerrilla war are depicted on the map. A hexagonal grid has been superimposed over the terrain to regulate movement and other game functions. Each hexagon (or "hex") is numbered for easy reference. THE PLAYING PIECESThe cardboard pieces (called "units" when referring to military pieces) represent military formations and support that participated, or might have participated, in the historical campaign. Various markers and memory aids have also been provided. Sample Playing Pieces The values on the following four playing pieces are representative of the values on all units in the game. TYPICAL GROUND COMBAT UNIT (US Infantry) TYPICAL ARTILLERY UNIT (SVN)TYPICAL THREE?STAR LEADER (SVN) TYPICAL ONE-STAR LEADER (SVN)-20891524193500-325368336668700Summary of Unit Types17145557623900Summary of Marker TypesA unit's size and designation are extremely important to play. Unit size is indicated as follows: II: Battalion; III: Regiment; X: Brigade; XX: Division. Throughout the rules, "brigade-sized units" mean "units of brigade or regiment size." CHARTS AND TABLESSeveral charts and tables are used in Vietnam to condense and simplify various game functions. These include the Terrain Effects Chart, Combat Results Table, Pacification Table, Strategic Bombing Table, SVN Leader Loyalty Table, Morale Chart, Unit Chart, and Blockade Chart. These charts and tables (except the Pacification Table) are printed on the map and some are printed again in each player's Chart and Table Sheet, located in the center of this booklet. TRACKS AND DISPLAYSA number of tracks and displays are provided as aids to record-keeping. These include the Game-Turn Track, the General Record Track, the SVN Leader Display, and the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track. Two markers indicate the year and current season. There are two game-turns each season, so the face of the Season marker shows whether the first or second turn of the season is in progress. The General Record Track is used to record constantly changing quantities: air support remaining, unused helicopter transport, riverines, and replacements. The track is numbered from 0 to 99, and by flipping over a marker to its reverse ( +100) side, values from 100 to 199 can be recorded. The SVN Leader Display is used to record the shifting loyalties of the upper echelon of South Vietnamese leadership. The Ho Chi Minh Trail Track is used to record the status of the Trail: how well-developed the infiltration routes are, and what damage they have sustained as a result of US bombing. RECORD SHEETSWritten records must be kept on certain information relevant to the play of the game. Each player has a personal record sheet to record information pertaining only to him. The NLF player may ask to see the US player's sheet at any time; the US player may not ask to see the NLF sheet. These sheets are coded to indicate at what point during the season each section is to be filled in. For example, GT-1 indicates that a section is to be filled in during the first phase of the game-turn; S-5D indicates that the section should be filled in during the fourth segment of the fifth phase of the seasonal interphase (see 2.1, Sequence Outline; 12, Seasonal Interphase; and the Abbreviated Sequence of Play on the northern map). Note that most of the US sheet and all of the NLF sheet are unnecessary in non-campaign scenarios. Both players also jointly manage the Population Control Sheet. This sheet records the amount of population friendly to the South Vietnamese (Saigon) government. A Population Control Reference Sheet (which need not be copied) is also provided, containing the Pacification Table, Population Shift Scale, and a summary of procedures and modifications relevant to pacification. This sheet is used only in campaign scenarios. The Record Sheets provided with the game are samples only and should not be written on. The players should make copies of these sheets before beginning play. SCALE Each hex represents an area 6 miles (or 10 kilometers) across. There are two game-turns per season. ABBREVIATIONS A number of abbreviations are used for brevity through the rules and on some of the counters: Rules. ARVN: Army of the Republic of (South) Vietnam. FWA: Free World Allies. NIT: National Liberation Front. NVA: North Vietnamese Army. NVN: North Vietnam. RF: Regional Forces. SVN: South Vietnam. US: United States. VC: Viet-Cong. ZOC: Zone of Control.Counters. A: Armor. ANZ: Australia-New Zealand Army Corps. BP: Black Panthers. CA: Capital. CAG: Civic Action Group. Cav: Cavalry. M: Marine. P: Parachute. RO: Royals. RTA: Royal Thai Army. QC: Queen's Cobras. IC: 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) The Game-Turn In a real military campaign, thousands of things happen at once. The players, however, have only four hands and two minds; they cannot manipulate all their units and make all relevant decisions simultaneously. The following sequence has been designed to recreate the feel of the conflict in Vietnam, and the advantages and disadvantages of each side. Vietnam: 1965-1975 is played in successive Game-Turns. Each game-turn is composed of a number of Phases, some of which are further subdivided into Segments. During each game-turn, the players maneuver their units and engage in combat. This framework of game-turns, phases, and segments provides a logical order in which these actions are conducted. Sequence Outline Game-Turn (Conduct twice each season) 1. Support PhaseThe US player indicates available air, airmobile, and riverine support on his Record Sheet, and places the corresponding markers on the General Record Track 2. Special Operations Designation PhaseThe US player notes any units on holding or patrol operations. Ineffective ARVN units may not be placed on hold or patrol operations. The NLF player then does the same. 3. Strategic Movement PhaseFirst the US player may conduct security operations, then he may and employ strategic and naval movement. Next the NLF player may conduct the following forms of strategic movement in the following order (1) units may exit the Ho Chi Minh trail onto the map in a hex adjacent to their current trail box, (2) units already on the trail may move along the Ho Chi Minh trail at trail-accelerated movement rates, but must end their move in another trail box, (3) units may leave the map to enter the trail at any box using their normal movement allowance and continue along the trail at 1 MP per trail box. A given unit may only use one of these forms of movement. Units that end any of these forms of movement on the Ho Chi Minh trail are marked Ops Complete. Units that just exited the trail are not marked Ops Complete and may operate normally later in the turn. Note that this is the only phase in which NLF units may leave the trail. Units may enter the trail during ordinary operations but must end their movement in the first trail box reached.Operations Phase The NLF player has the initiative in the Operations phase in the sense that he decides whether the US or NLF will conduct the next operation. In practice to speed play it is recommended that within the Operations phase, the NLF player use this discretion in the following manner.First, conduct any on-map strategic movements (at 3x normal movement rate) desired to relocate forces before other units act. NLF units using strategic movement spend 2x MP cost to exit enemy occupied hexes and ZOCs, both normal and Patrol. Second, conduct any desired offensive Search and Destroy operations against US and ARVN forces before the US player can act. Then let the US player declare any operations they like. After the US player passes, conduct a final round of strategic movement of NLF forces, as above. While the NLF player could technically “interrupt” the sequence of US operations to conduct his own, Vietnam is a very long game with many changes in control as it is and slowing play to force the US to ask permission before every additional US action is a bad idea. The main benefits of NLF initiative are preserved by moving first and later moving last in the manner described above, without slowing down the game.A. Designation Segment The NLF player decides whether he or the US player will conduct an Operation. The indicated (Phasing) player then notes the type of operation he will conduct, which units will participate in its first Round, and chooses its Target Hex (if applicable). Note: From this point on, different types of operations follow different sequences. The following sequence applies in most cases, but see Section 6 and the Operations Flow Chart for variations. B. Support Declaration Segment If this is a US operation, the US player may allocate naval units and air support to the operation and may declare free-fire zones. Note this is the only phase in which naval support for an operation may be designated.C. Movement SegmentThe phasing player may move any and all of the units assigned to the operation. If a unit enters an enemy-occupied hex other than the designated target hex, incidental attacks may ensue immediately. If phasing units end their movement adjacent to non-target hexes containing enemy units, those units may use Reaction movement, which may trigger other incidental attacks. The US player designate and use airmobile or amphibious points to speed US, ARVN, and FWA units. Note that no additional airmobile or riverine support may be designated later in the operation.D. Alert Segment (only in US operations)The US player may place Interdiction markers. The NLF player then checks to see how much of a warning his forces received before the current operation. All VC units and PAVN infantry regiment units in the target hex may move a variable amount. Hidden VC units that end their Alert movement in the same hex as or adjacent to any operating units are revealed. VC units only may instead Disperse before seeing their Alert roll.E. Combat Segment All units in or adjacent to any target hex of the operation are revealed, including operating VC units. The US player may then declare a new Free Fire zone. Both players may place Interdiction markers, operating player first. The phasing player must then conduct combat against the target hex if possible. Casualties are assessed and any units unable to pay replacement point costs are removed to satisfy losses. If the phasing player is unable to conduct combat, the operation ends immediately.F. Retreat SegmentDefending units may retreat their full Movement Point Allowance, paying normal costs to exit enemy occupied hexes, ZOCs, and any interdiction costs in addition to normal terrain costs. Retreats over enemy units, including Operating units, may trigger Incidental Attacks. Hexes containing retreating target units at the end of retreat become target hexes for the next operation round. The US player may activate and move defensive reserves if he is the defending player and may allocate defensive air support to the operation. Note that this is the first occasion when the US may declare defensive air support, which will only be available in later combat rounds.G. Pursuit SegmentPhasing units may move to the extent allowed by the combat result and their own pursuit modifiers. Units without a pursuit modifier may pursue only if airmobile and only using the pursuit allowance provided by the combat result. The US player may activate offensive reserves if he is the phasing player and may allocate additional air support to the operation. After each pursuit phase, remove all Interdiction markers from the map.One Round of the operation has now been completed. If combat took place in the Combat Segment, begin another round by continuing with segments E, F, G. Repeat Segments E through G until the phasing player is unwilling or unable to attack in Segment E, or until 3 ROUNDs have been completed. H. End of Operation SegmentOperating US units on Clear and Hold operations may assume Patrol or Hold status. Mark all participating units Ops Complete except units on Patrol or Hold missions.Once one operation has been completed, return to Segment A. Continue until neither player is able or willing to conduct an operation. 5. Game-Turn Indication Phase The passage of one turn is noted on the Game-Turn Track. OperationsThe central concept of Vietnam is the Operation. In an operation, one player commits certain of his units to a particular goal. Sometimes that goal will be as simple as "hold." More frequently, the goal of an operation will be the destruction of enemy units. Any given friendly unit may be assigned to no more than one operation in a given turn. Possible operations include:Search and Destroy. The most common operation, and most effective at eliminating enemy units. Units move, and may attack designated enemy Target units. The target units can then retreat, and attacking units pursue. Combat can then take place again, sparking more retreat and pursuit. This sequence (combat-retreat-pursuit) may occur a maximum of three times in one operation. Holding. Units assigned to a holding operation may not move or attack, but they defend at double ground combat strength, and receive a 1 left column shift for their losses on the CRT. US and ARVN units on Hold orders that are attacked directly do not suffer firepower reduction for Free Fire. Patrol. Units on patrol may not move or attack, but they interfere with the movement of nearby enemy units. Patrol ZOCs cost 2 MPs to leave, rather than the 1 MP cost of normal ZOCs.Clear and Secure. A variant of the search and destroy operations. Units pursue at a slower pace (-2 pursuit allowance) but have the option to switch to a holding or patrol operation in any pursuit segment. Only the US player may conduct clear and secure operations, and only with US units. SECURITY. Units may move and attack enemy units on roads only, at a greatly increased speed. Enemy units may not use Alert movement to evade Security operations. Only the US player may conduct security operations, but all US controlled units may perform them. STRATEGIC MOVEMENT. Units may move very quickly, but may not attack. NLF units that spend MPs to exit enemy ZOCs at any point in their move get only 2x instead of 3x movement allowance.NAVAL TRANSPORT. Units may move by sea, but not attack. Only the US player may conduct naval transport. BOMBARDMENT. Artillery, air, and naval power may be used to shell enemy forces. OFFENSIVE RESERVE. Units may join a search and destroy or clear and secure operation already in progress. Only the US player may designate offensive reserves. DEFENSIVE RESERVE. Units may help defend against an enemy search and destroy operation. Only the US player may designate defensive reserves. Each of these operations may take place during the Operations Phase. In addition, US strategic movement, naval transport, and security operations may occur during the Strategic Movement Phase, NLF units may move onto, along, and off of the Ho Chi Minh trail during their part of the Strategic Movement Phase, and units may be assigned to holding or patrol operations in the Special Operations Designation Segment. The key point is that no one unit may do more than one operation in a given turn. There are a variety of things that a unit can do that are not operations, including Reaction movement, Alert movement (VC and PAVN infantry units only), retreat after combat, and defensive support missions by non-phasing artillery units. A complete list of all operations and other things a unit can do is provided in the Operations Summary in the pullout at the center of these rules. Movement In most wars, there is a line or front, across which opposing forces face one another. Each combatant tries to hold onto his territory and push or maneuver the other into surrendering ground. Vietnam was different. Even at the height of US involvement, there were simply not enough US troops to hold a line along the entire length of the country and to prevent the infiltration of men and equipment. The result of this was very fluid combat. Each game-turn represents six and a half weeks. In that period of time, most formations could easily move the length of the map, A unit's ability to influence combat is limited to a much smaller area, however, since it must respond to tactical situations in a timely manner. This fact is simulated in the game by allowing units to move small distances a virtually unlimited number of times. Each hex on the map represents ten kilometers. Most of the terrain in Vietnam is rugged and heavily overgrown. The units simulated in the game simply could not prevent hostile forces from moving through such a large area. They could make movement difficult or costly, however, by patrolling vigorously or setting ambushes along the line of march.At various points during the game, the players will have the option to move their units from one position on the hexfield to another. Such movement is always voluntary.HOW UNITS MOVE Units are moved, individually or in groups, across the map, tracing a path through contiguous hexes. Units may form stacks to move together as a group at any point in their movement but are all considered to have spent the highest number of movement points of any of the units “forming up” when they do so. A unit expends Movement Points to enter new hexes. The number of Movement Points to enter a hex varies according to terrain (see Terrain Effects Chart on map). A unit may expend a number of Movement Points equal to or less than its Movement Point Allowance each time it moves. It may not exceed its Movement Point Allowance. Note that some units will be unable to enter certain types of terrain as a result of this provision. Unused Movement Points may not be saved from one turn to the next, nor may they be transferred among units. A unit's Movement Point Allowance for most purposes is printed on its counter. This allowance may be magnified if the unit employs strategic movement (3.3). The Movement Point Allowance of units engaging in pursuit after combat are determined by the combat results and their unit pursuit bonuses. (5.6) EFFECTS OF OTHER UNITS Friendly units have no effect on friendly movement; any number of friendly units may move through or end their movement in the same hex. There are no limits on the stacking of friendly units. The presence of enemy units does affect movement. Units may not enter an enemy-occupied hex unless they will have sufficient Movement Points to leave it. Exception: Target hexes, 5.1. Units leaving enemy-occupied hexes must pay 2 additional Movement Points in excess of the amount required by the terrain entered. Units leaving enemy zones of control (3.1) must pay either 1 or 2 additional Movement Points. The enemy player may force friendly units entering enemy-occupied non-target hexes to interrupt their movement and attack (3.2). Units may not end their movement in enemy-occupied non-target hexes. MOVEMENT OF STACKS Any number of friendly units in a hex may be moved together as a group (or Stack). If some of the units have lower Movement Point Allowances than others, all the moving units assume the lowest Movement Point Allowance of all. Different unit types pay different costs to enter certain terrain types; the highest cost applicable to any of a group of units moving together as a stack is assessed against all the units. Units that begin movement together may not split up and move separately during the course of movement; if different destinations are desired the units must be moved separately instead. Units may be left behind while the rest of a stack moves on, but they may not resume movement later. One stack's movement must be completed before another stack's movement is begun. Example: 1/1/1 (mechanized) and 2/1/1 (infantry; foot) are in hex 4924. They begin movement together as a stack. They have a Movement Point Allowance of 8 (the lower of the two Movement Point Allowances — that of the infantry unit). They enter 5023 for 1 Movement Point, and 5022 for 5. 1/1/1 stops there, and 2/1/1 moves on through 5021 to 5121, at a cost of 1 Movement Point for each hex. Zones of ControlMost units with a Combat Strength greater than 0 exert a zone of control (ZOC) into the six hexes directly adjacent to the hex they occupy. An enemy ZOC is an EZOC. Zones of control extend into hexes containing enemy units, and into hexes containing ZOC's of either side. Note that ZOC's do not extend into hexes containing friendly units. Both players' units may simultaneously exert a ZOC over the same hex. There is no additional effect gained by having more than one unit exert a ZOC into a given hex. Note that units in the same hex as enemy units do exert ZOC's into surrounding hexes. Zones of control never extend into all-sea hexes, nor do they extend across all-sea hexsides.-31170139369NOTE: There is no ZOC in the hex containing both sides' units.WHICH UNITS EXERT ZOCs All units with ground Combat Strengths greater than 0 exert ZOC's, except ARVN battalions. ARVN battalions have no ZOC, despite the fact that they do have a ground Combat Strength. Exception – ARVN Ranger battalions (only) do have ZOCs. NLF political sections and supply conduits do have ZOC's, even though they have no Combat Strength (10, 17.5). MOVEMENT PENALTIES Units leaving an enemy-controlled hex normally pay a penalty of 1 Movement Point. If any of the enemy units exerting the ZOC are on a patrol operation (6.2), the cost penalty is 2 Movement Points instead of 1. Units leaving an enemy-occupied hex pay a penalty of 2 Movement Points. These ZOC MP costs are doubled – to 2,4 and 4 MPs – for NLF units conducting Strategic Movement (see below). These penalties are cumulative with interdiction but never with each other, since EZOCs do not extend into hexes containing friendly units (7.5). Note that units may move freely among enemy ZOC's and occupied hexes provided they have the necessary Movement Point Allowance and provided they do not end movement in an enemy occupied non-target hex. Example: The 25th division's armored unit moves through the indicated path. The total number of Movement Points expended is printed along each hex of its movement. Note that the US unit could end its movement in 5019 (a hex containing enemy units) only if 5019 were a target hex (5.1). The 25th division's armored unit moves through the indicated path. It could be forced into an incidental attack when it moves through 5222 if the VC unit were not a target unit. After the armored unit ended its movement (in 5019), if the VC in 5020 were not a target unit, the VC could make a reaction move. Note that no extra Movement Points were expended to bypass the holding VC, since the VC unit has no ZOC while on a holding mission (6.2). Incidental AttacksIf enemy units enter a hex containing friendly non-target units, the non-moving player may, at his option, require the moving units to attack. This is called an Incidental attack. The combat odds are determined normally (5.4). Phasing player artillery assigned to the operation may be used, as may air points already assigned to the existing operation. Non phasing player artillery support may be used in support against an incidental attack only from organic firepower of the attacked units themselves, dedicated support from artillery in the same command span as the attacked units, or defensive only independent artillery in range that is not Ops Complete. Naval gunfire may not be called in to support or oppose an incidental attack, nor may new air points be assigned to an operation to do so. The US player may not declare a Free Fire zone to support or oppose an incidental attack. Casualties are determined normally in a single combat round with the stationary units the defenders and benefiting from any terrain DRM. There is no pursuit or retreat. If any defending units remain, the moving units must leave the hex (paying the additional 2 Movement Points to leave an enemy-occupied hex); the moving units may continue moving. If all defending units are destroyed, the moving units may stay or move on at the owning player's discretion. There is no Movement Point penalty in this case. Ineffective ARVN units may not force incidental attacks (11.1).1168400145415Example: Friendly armored unit A moves along the dotted path. It pays 5 Movement Points to enter enemy unit B's hex (4 for cultivated terrain, +1 for B's ZOC). The enemy player decides to force an incidental attack. The attack is resolved (5.4) and B is destroyed, but A survives. A moves on, entering enemy unit C's hex at a cost of 1+1/2 Movement Points (1/2 for the road, +1 for C's ZOC). The enemy player decides not to force an attack this time. A must leave the hex. It continues along the road, expending 2+1/2 Movement Points for the next hex (1/2 for the road, +2 to leave C's hex). Strategic MovementBoth players' units may employ strategic movement. US side units employing strategic movement may enter or pass through enemy ZOC's and enemy-occupied hexes (paying normal exit costs) but may not end their movement in an enemy-occupied hex. NLF units get 3x movement allowance using strategic movement but pay 2x normal costs to exit enemy occupied hexes and ZOCs. Units conducting strategic movement may perform incidental attacks if the enemy player forces them but declare no target hexes and may undertake no other attacks. Strategic movement is an operation, and never occurs during any other type of operation. If units end strategic movement in an enemy ZOC, the enemy unit may move its full Movement Point Allowance in reaction (5.3). Movement out of, along, or onto the Ho Chi Minh trail is normally conducted in the NLF portion of the Strategic Movement Phase at the start of the turn, and that is the only time an NLF unit may exit the trail. Units may enter the trail during operations but must halt in the first trail box and may not use 3x movement allowance (map) strategic movement to do so.. US STRATEGIC MOVEMENTUS-controlled units may conduct strategic movement either during the Strategic Movement Phase or during the Operations Phase. US units using strategic movement spend 0 Movement Points when moving along roads. They retain their full Movement Point Allowance to pay ZOC exit costs and to move off-road. They may continue moving along roads after they have exhausted their Movement Point Allowance (although they will be stuck if they enter an enemy ZOC). Airmobile and riverine (8) movement may not be employed during strategic movement. NLF STRATEGIC MOVEMENT NLF map strategic movement may take place only during the Operations Phase. The Movement Point Allowance of NLF-controlled units employing strategic movement is tripled. NLF units use roads at normal speed. However, MP costs to leave enemy occupied hexes, normal and Patrol ZOCs are all doubled for NLF units using Strategic movement (to 4, 2, and 4 MPs respectively). NLF units using map strategic movement in the operations phase may not enter the Ho Chi Minh trail; that may only be entered during the NLF portion of the strategic movement phase at the start of the turn or using ordinary movement (1x movement allowance) during the operations phase. In the latter case, the moving units pay 1 MP for the trail box but must stop in the first trail box they enter.Naval TransportUS-controlled units within their Movement Point Allowance of a port hex may employ naval transport. Such units move normally, using their unmodified Movement Point Allowances, until they reach the port. Airmobile or amphibious movement may be employed (8). Incidental attacks may occur along the way. The port may be in an enemy ZOC, but may not be enemy-occupied. The units are then moved directly to any port or landing beach not occupied by an enemy unit. If the transported unit ends its transport in an enemy ZOC, the enemy unit may make a reaction move (5.3). Terrain The terrain in the different parts of Vietnam varied greatly, high, heavily vegetated mountains covered the interior of the north of the country. In the south, the flat, muddy Mekong River flowed through rice paddies and mangrove swamps. High-ridged hills and triple-canopy jungle stretched between north and south.Each hex on the map contains one or more types of terrain. Some contain towns, roads, ports, borders, and so forth. Rivers and escarpments run along some hexsides. Each type of terrain has an effect on play. These effects are summarized on the Terrain Effects Chart. Terrain Effects on MovementA unit expends a different number of Movement Points to enter different types of terrain. The Movement Point cost to enter terrain varies depending on the type of unit moving (see Terrain Effects Chart): armored, mechanized, armored cavalry, artillery, US-controlled HQ's (17.6) use mechanized Movement Point costs. Units in the US 1st Cavalry or 101st division (and units temporarily airmobilized) use airmobile Movement Point costs?(8). All other unit types (including VC and NVA HQ's) pay foot Movement Point costs, Many hexes contain more than one type of terrain. If different terrain types have different Movement Point costs, the greater cost is charged for the hex. If a stack moving as a group contains units of different types, the entire stack is charged the highest Movement Point cost charged any unit in the stack. Units moving along a road from one road hex to another pay the road Movement Point cost rather than the cost of the terrain. Hexside terrain is ignored. Minor rivers and escarpments run along some hexsides. Whenever such hexsides are crossed (except by road) additional Movement Points must be expended. Major rivers do not conform neatly to a hexagonal grid. Rather than distort the Mekong out of recognition, the river has been drawn as it actually flows. For game purposes, "water" hexsides have been added to determine when a river's movement and combat penalties are assessed. Such hexsides may be crossed at the Movement Point cost noted on the Terrain Effects Chart. A unit may cross a water hexside into an enemy-occupied hex (even moving along a road), only by airmobile or amphibious movement (8). All-sea hexes and all-sea hexsides may be entered or moved through only by units employing airmobile movement. Terrain Effects on CombatThe terrain occupied by a defending force modifies the die roll used to determine the results of an attack. If more than one type of terrain is present in the defender's hex, each round of combat the defending player may select which modifier will be used. The combat DRM of both wooded hills and mountains is -2. If any portion of the attackers are across an escarpment or black border water hexside, the terrain DRM for the combat is increased by an additional -1. Minor rivers do not effect the combat DRM. In addition, the pursuit modifier is reduced by 1 (including negative numbers) if the defender’s occupy a mountain terrain hex.Regional forces may aid the defense of US-controlled units in cultivated, town, city, and major city hexes (11.2), and increase the allowed RPs that may be spent in that operation by 1 ARVN RP. HEXSIDE EFFECTS Units attacking across escarpment hexsides are halved in ground Combat Strength when determining the combat ratio, with each unit's Combat Strength rounded down individually before adding their Combat Strengths together. Non-amphibious units (8.3) attacking across water hexsides are similarly halved. Only airmobile units and artillery may attack across all-sea hexsides. These penalties are in addition to the extra -1 DRM mentioned above. Borders Most borders run through hexes rather than along hexsides. Units are judged to be on one side or the other of a border in the following fashion: Units on an international border hex are considered to be on whichever side of the border the owning player desires. Enemy units on or adjacent to a border hex may be attacked without violating neutrality (16.2). ARVN units on corps zone boundaries are considered on whichever side the NLF player chooses when checking for effectiveness (11.1), except that capital and towns on the map are within the region in which the city symbol is depicted. Units on regional boundaries are considered in the region of the attacking player's choice for artillery free-fire distinctions (7.6). Note that one region may be chosen one round, and another on the next. The NLF player may determine which region NLF units on regional boundaries are considered to occupy when computing pacification modifiers. NLF units on SVN national borders do not count toward pacification unless the border hex is cultivated or contains a town (13). Note: US-controlled units may never enter North Vietnam but may attack units adjacent to the border normally and may bombard units in North Vietnam without penalty. Search and Destroy Operations Military planning is usually considered in terms of objectives. Commanders decide what they hope to achieve, and then allocate the necessary resources. In Vietnam, this basic unit of planning was the operation. The most important problem experienced by American forces in Vietnam was not taking territory; US forces were strong enough to go anywhere that they were required. The problem was engaging the enemy. NLF forces could hide among the people, or melt away into the jungle when US forces arrived. The ARVN had been heavily infiltrated by NLF sympathizers; VC units frequently knew about an impending operation before the ARVN troops actually involved in it. Moreover, the exact position of VC forces was rarely known. US forces often vainly beat the bushes for guerrillas that had never been there in the first place, or had departed at the first sign of trouble. Effectively, the NLF determined when they would engage. This initiative is simulated by allowing the NLF player to choose who conducts the next operation. Combat in Vietnam was rarely static. Forces constantly maneuvered, shifting in response to enemy movement. Friendly forces could react to support other friendly forces in the vicinity, or to interfere with enemy activities. A Typical operation would usually be a series of short, sharp engagements, separated by quick maneuver and repositioning. The players will quickly find that the most important advantage of US units is not their strength or even their firepower, but their flexibility in a running battle. A US force can respond effectively to enemy movement, pursuing a fleeing enemy force, or blocking an avenue of retreat. And in a pitched battle, US communications and coordination help build an overwhelming momentum. "Search and Destroy" was the US army's terminology for the aggressive reconnaissance in force common in the first two-thirds of the war. Units would be sent out to try to find the enemy. Once engaged, the units would try to pin the enemy down and destroy him, calling for reserves if necessary. Both players may conduct any number of operations in a given Operations Phase. At the start of the Operations Phase, the NLF player decides who will conduct the first operation. After each operation is finished, the NLF player decides who will conduct the next. The player selected is termed the Operating or Phasing player. The NLF player must designate the US player to conduct the next operation if he himself is unable (or unwilling) to do so. The US player may decline to conduct an operation. If the US player does decline, the NLF player has two alternatives: he may end the Operations Phase; or he may conduct an operation himself. If he chooses the latter option, the Operations Phase continues. The Operations Phase ends only when the US player is designated to perform an operation, refuses, and the NLF player then chooses to end the phase. The Operations Flow Charts summarize this procedure. 1931753161925ASSIGNMENTS When a player is designated to conduct an operation, he may do any one of the following: assign units to a patrol, holding, security, search and destroy, or clear and secure operation; conduct strategic or naval movement; or conduct bombardment. Units assigned to an operation are termed Operating Units. Strategic and naval movement are described in 3.3 and 3.4, patrol, holding, and security missions in Section 6, and bombardment in 7.4. The remainder of this rules section describes search and destroy operations. Clear and secure operations share most characteristics of search and destroy operations; the advantages and disadvantages of this option are described in Section 6. ELIGIBILITY FOR OPERATIONS Units which have already been assigned to a friendly operation are ineligible to be assigned to an operation. NLF units on the Ho Chi Minh Trail are also ineligible (17.8). The Operations Summary lists all actions that render a unit ineligible for operations. It is recommended that a unit's counter be tilted distinctively whenever it has completed its operation and that all counters be returned to the same orientation at the end of each Operations Phase. A number of Operations Complete markers have been provided for those players who prefer that notation. The Operational SequenceWhen a player chooses to conduct a search and destroy or clear and secure operation, he may designate one Target Hex (he may not designate more than one, although he can choose to designate no target hex). If there are any enemy units in the hex, they are automatically Target Units. A target hex need not be anywhere near any operating units. SUPPORT DECLARATION The US player may assign air and naval support to the operation if he is the operating player. He may declare free-fire zones (7.6) if he so chooses. This is the only time in which naval support may be designated. Free fire zones may be declared in any combat segment after all involved units are revealed. New air support may be declared in the retreat segment during NLF operations or in the pursuit segment for US operations, at the same time defensive and offensive reserves are activated. Note that there is no way to have US air support for the first combat round of an NLF operation, since the first time such support can be declared during such operations is the first retreat segment.MOVEMENT IN AN OPERATION The phasing player may then move any of the units he assigned to the operation, up to the limit of their Movement Point Allowances. They may enter enemy ZOC's. They may enter the target hex. They may also enter other enemy-occupied hexes so long as they do not end their movement there (they must have enough Movement Points remaining to leave any other enemy-occupied hex they enter, including the extra 2 Movement Points for leaving an enemy-occupied hex; 3.2). No unit need be moved, nor need moving units move toward the target hex. The phasing player may then perform interdiction (7.5). The NLF player (if defending) may take a free Alert Move (his Movement Point Allowance will vary; see 5.2). Both players may then place Interdiction markers. If, after all movement is complete, any of the operating units are in or adjacent to a hex containing target units, combat must occur. EXTENDING OPERATIONS If the phasing player is unable to engage in combat after all operating units have finished their movement and the defending player has conducted any alert movement, the operation ends immediately. US units conducting Clear and Secure missions may be placed on Hold or Patrol. All other operating units are marked Ops Complete. Any interdiction markers are removed.If combat does occur, it will also bring a retreat and a pursuit phase and a new Round will be initiated. The target units may retreat, and operating units may pursue. Interdiction markers are removed at the end of each pursuit phase, though new ones may be placed at the start of later rounds of combat, normally. At the end of retreat and pursuit movements, combat may take place again, at the phasing player’s discretion. If it does not, the operation ends as above; if combat does take place, a third round begins, with retreat, pursuit, and more potential combat. There are never more than 3 rounds in a single operation. After the third pursuit phase, the operation automatically ends. As above, US and FWA units conducting Clear and Secure missions may then be placed on Hold or Patrol, and all other operating units are marked Ops Complete.Alert If the NLF player is the defending player in a newly declared search and destroy or clear and secure operation, any VC or PAVN infantry regiment units in the target hex may conduct Alert Movement. Alert movement takes place after all phasing units have moved, all reaction has been taken (5.3), and any interdiction the US player desires has been conducted (7.5). When Alert units move, they remain targets of the operation and every hex they move to becomes a new target hex. Any hex occupied by target units after all alert movement is complete is considered a target hex. Alert movement is voluntary, and any NLF unit that moves using Alert movement immediately abandons any Patrol or Hold orders in was on, and if they were already engaged in such mission, they are marked Ops Complete instead. Alert movement on its own is a form of Reaction and never on its own causes a unit to become Ops Complete.ALERT MOVEMENT POINT ALLOWANCE The roll of one die is added to the foot Movement Point cost of the target hex to derive the Movement Point Allowance of a VC units in the target hex for purposes of alert movement. This allowance might exceed the Movement Point Allowance printed on the counter. If any ARVN units are assigned to the operation, add 1 to this Movement Point Allowance. VC division headquarters units must subtract 2 from their Alert movement point allowance, and Supply Conduits may not use Alert movement at all. Unaugmented PAVN infantry regiments (only) may also use Alert movement but must subtract 2 from their Alert movement point allowance, and do not get +1 for any ARVN unit participation in the operation. In addition, all units subtract 2 from their Alert movement point allowance if this is a Bombardment mission.Note that only 1 Alert die is made for the whole hex, though the MP allowances available to different units present may vary, depending on the modifiers that apply to that unit type.Example: Two VC battalions in a marsh hex are the target of an operation involving ARVN rangers. The die is a 4, The VC may each expend up to 8 Movement Points in alert movement (4 for the roll, +3 for terrain, +1 for ARVN units). If one of the units were a PAVN infantry regiment instead, it would have only 5 alert MPs (4 for the roll +3 for terrain -2 for PAVN).RESTRICTIONS ON ALERT MOVEMENT Augmented NVA regiments, NVA division headquarters, NVA artillery, and VC supply conduits may not employ alert movement. NVA infantry regiments and VC division headquarters units get -2 to their movement point allowance, and NVA infantry regiments also do not get +1 for ARVN units participating in the operation. All units receive -2 to their alert movement point allowance in Bombardment missions. These modifiers are cumulative. Alert movement is possible only during the first round of an operation. Note that target units may employ alert movement even if no enemy units are near them. Units defending against security operations (6.3) may not employ alert movement. Alert movement is considered a reaction move (5.3), and thus never causes reaction itself. Non-operating units do not participate in attacks against target units unless added to the operation in later rounds as offensive reserves.DISPERSAL As an alternative to alert movement, VC units only in a target hex on the first round of an operation have the additional option of Dispersal. The VC unit(s) are removed from the map and the VC replacement pool (5.5 and 17.5) is increased by the ground Combat Strength of the unit(s). Note that nothing is recovered when VC HQ's, political sections (10), or supply conduits (17.5) disperse. The NLF player must decide to disperse before seeing the alert die roll, and may not disperse after the first round, though he may elect to fulfill required combat losses by unit elimination instead of spending RPs. Some units may disperse and others not; the NLF player is not restricted to one option or the other. Reaction Movement The majority of units on the map will not be involved in any given operation. They may become temporarily involved by the proximity of operating enemy units. If an enemy unit ends its movement adjacent to a friendly unit which is not participating in the operation (either as an operating unit or a target unit), the friendly unit may immediately move its full Movement Point Allowance in a Reaction Move. Operating and target units are not eligible for reaction. Reaction is entirely voluntary; a player need not take a reaction move if he does not wish to. VC units may disperse (5.2) whenever they are given the opportunity to take a reaction move. A reaction move may be in any direction. Enemy ZOC's may be entered, as may enemy-occupied hexes (but see 3.2), with the proviso that the unit does not end its movement in a non-target hex containing enemy units (it must have the Movement Points to leave any other enemy-occupied hex that it may enter).If a VC unit or unaugmented PAVN infantry regiment reacts into an operation's target hex during the first round of the operation, it becomes a target unit, eligible for alert movement (5.2). Defending units may end reaction movement in a target hex, even if it contains enemy units: they immediately become target units themselves. Units reacting to a retreat or to the movement of defensive reserves (5.6) may not end their movement in a target hex. Note that enemy movement is necessary to trigger a reaction move. So long as an operating unit simply remains where it is, reaction movement will not be triggered. Thus, holding and patrol operations (6.2) and bombardment (7.5), involving no movement, will never trigger reaction movement. A given unit may react any number of times during the course of an operation, or even during one round. Reacting does not make a unit ineligible to participate in an operation or to react at other times; reaction is entirely "free." Units may react in stacks or individually. One stack's reaction must be completed before another's begins. The owning player may choose the order in which any reactions are taken. Reaction movement must be taken immediately after the triggering unit(s) has completed its movement, even when an operation is still in progress. Reaction occurs before alert movement. Note that one reaction move cannot trigger another; a reacting unit may end its movement adjacent to an enemy unit without triggering further reaction on either part. Combat Combat may occur in four circumstances: 1. Between operating units and target units. 2. Between units on a security operation and enemy units on roads. 3. When a unit is passing through an enemy-occupied hex and is forced to perform an incidental attack. 4. Bombardment attacks. Security operations are described in 6.3, incidental attacks in 3.2., and bombardment in 7.5. The following paragraphs specifically describe the combat procedure that is used in search and destroy and clear and secure operations, though the procedure for determining combat ratios and modifiers are similar in the other three cases. WHICH UNITS MAY ATTACK During an operation, after all operating units have moved and any reaction and alert movement have been taken and interdiction markers placed, the phasing player must attack adjacent target units if he can do so on the first combat round. All target hexes occupied by operating units must be attacked. All operating units in a target hex must attack the enemy in their hex. Operating units adjacent to a target hex must participate in the first combat round but may choose which target to attack if more than one is available. Note that after the first round, combat is voluntary for the phasing player, but it is mandatory when possible in the first round of an operation. There is no advantage or disadvantage to attacking from a target hex (as opposed to attacking from a hex adjacent to it). Units which are not assigned to the operation may not attack. Exception: Defending artillery may contribute support, even if not assigned; see 7.1. Operating units which are not in or adjacent to a target unit may not contribute ground Combat Strength to the attack (though they may be able to contribute artillery strength). A player must use the full strength of any unit participating in a given attack and may not divide that strength. All target units must defend and if any units in a hex are attacked, all must be attacked. A given target hex may be attacked only once in a round. THE COMBAT RATIO The ratio between the total strength attacking a target hex (including artillery) and the total strength defending in that hex (including artillery) is determined by dividing the greater strength by the smaller and then rounding off in favor of the defender. Examples: Attacker 10, defender 3 — the ratio is 3 to 1. Attacker 5, defender 16 — the ratio is 1 to 4. Two fractional ratios are also used: 3 to 2 and 2 to 3. Thus, 27 Strength Points attacking 16 would be a ratio of 3 to 2, since it is less than 2 to 1, but is at least 3 to 2. Seven Strength Points attacking 8 would be a ratio of 2 to 3, since it is not quite 1 to 1, but is at least 2 to 3. If a target hex contains only units with ground Combat Strengths of 0, the hex has a ground Combat Strength of 1 when calculating the combat ratio and losses. If all the units attacking a given target hex in any manner other than bombardment (7.5) have ground Combat Strengths of 0, the attacking ground combat strength is considered to be 1.Fire support to any given combat is limited to 3 times the ground strength participating for purposes of calculating the odds ratio. US player fire support is subject to a 50% reduction after this limit unless the combat takes place in a Free Fire zone or outside the territory of SVN. However, US player artillery strength of units on Hold orders directly attacked (not supporting from a different hex) are not subject to Free Fire reductions. Additional fire support beyond the 3x ground strength limit is still used to determine the enemy’s strength column for CRT loss purposes but does not add to the strength use for the combat odds determination. MODIFIERS TO THE DIE ROLL A single die is then rolled, and the combat ratio determined above is then used to modify the roll. If the ratio is less than 1 to 1, the modifier is negative; if the ratio is greater than 1 to 1, the modifier is positive: 1 to 5 or worse—-51 to 4 —-41 to 3—-31 to 2 —-22 to 3 —-11 to 1 —03 to 2 —+12 to 1 —+23 to 1 —+34 to 1 —+45 to 1 or better— + 5 The combat die roll is also modified by the target hex's terrain (see the modified Terrain Effects Chart with mountain and wooded hills now -2 DRM, and escarpment and black water hexsides an additional -1 DRM and 4.2) and (on the second and subsequent rounds) by unused Pursuit Allowances up to a maximum of the raw combat result Pursuit Allowance plus 1 (5.6). Note also that the raw combat result pursuit allowances have been modified by -1 for all rows of the table, and in addition mountain terrain reduces the raw pursuit modifier by -1. After all modifications, the combat die roll is cross-referenced on the Combat Results Table to determine the two results of combat: Casualties and Pursuit Allowances, which are explained in 5.5 and 5.6, respectively. Note that modified die rolls greater than 11 are treated as 11, and modified rolls less than -4 are treated as -4. Casualties Casualties taken in combat are determined by cross-referencing the modified combat die roll with each force's strength. Enemy artillery, naval, and air power are added to friendly strength when determining losses, but friendly artillery, naval, and air power are not. It is necessary to cross-reference once for the attacking force, and once for the defending force. If the defending side is on Hold orders, their loss column is shifted 1 column to the left.Example: 23 Strength Points --- 19 of them ground, 4 artillery, —attack 12 Strength Points, 5 of which are ground, 7 artillery, The defending units are in a jungle hex. The die roll is 4, which is modified by +1 for the combat ratio of 3 to 2, and by --1 for the terrain, netting a 4. The attacker's ground Combat Strength plus defending artillery yield 26 (19 + 7 = 26). The attacker suffers 2 losses. The defender's modified strength of 9 (5 + 4) yields 1 loss. The defending player distributes his losses first, then the attacker allocates his. REPLACEMENT POINTS All losses sustained in combat may be absorbed in two ways: by removing units, or by expending Replacement Points. Each ground Strength Point of an eliminated unit or Replacement Point expended satisfies one point of losses. Replacement Points are assigned in the scenarios. They may also be created in the campaign game (17). Replacement Points may be expended only if they are available; if a player is unable (or unwilling) to eliminate replacements, any losses suffered will mean the destruction of entire units. There are limits to the number of replacement points a force may expend in a single Operation, normally their ground combat strength minus 1. Presence of ARVN regional forces may increase that limit by 1 for the whole operation. This limit applies over all 3 possible combat rounds of a given operation. Each RP spent is allocated against a specific participating unit when it is used, and that unit is destroyed instead if the total hits to that unit in the whole operation reach its total ground combat strength.Example: A US force containing two units with ground strengths of 4 and 2 sustains a 3-point loss. If no Replacement Points were available, the 4-strength unit would be eliminated. If 1 Replacement Point were available, the US player could eliminate the 2-strength unit and replacement instead. If 3 or more Replacement Points were available, neither of the units need be destroyed, as the entire loss could be absorbed by reducing the Replacement Pool by 3. Losses sustained by FWA (17.2) units may be absorbed by expending US Replacement Points. Losses sustained by any other group may be absorbed only be expending that group's own Replacement Points. ALLOCATING LOSSES Losses must normally be divided as evenly as possible between participating forces (E.g. US and ARVN or VC and PAVN), but any excess point over even division may be allocated to the national force of that player’s choice. In addition, a player may allocate losses unevenly to stay under force replacement limits and avoid unit removal to satisfy losses. US replacements may not be eliminated to satisfy losses if no US or FWA units are present, nor may ARVN RPs be used to satisfy losses when no ARVN units are participating. If the US player is defending and received defense strength from Regional forces, ARVN is considered to be participating with a limit of 1 RP spent on such Regional forces. Similarly, NVA, VC, and ARVN replacements may not be used unless those forces are present. A player may not expend Replacement Points fully equal to his force's Combat Strength over the entire operation but must instead stay at least 1 point under that Combat Strength, in order to continue using replacements. This limitation applies to the entire operation, not just each individual combat round. Any unit that suffers combat losses equal to its full strength must be removed to satisfy that loss. RPs may only be used to fulfill loss results under a unit’s strength, but hits may be spread over multiple units to stay within those limits. Hits under unit strengths must still be divided as evenly as possible between participating forces when both forces from that player are present.Example: A 2-strength VC battalion suffers 3 losses over the course of 2 combat rounds as 1 in the 1st round and 2 in the second. No more than 1 Replacement Point may be expended, insufficient to cover the 3-point loss, so the unit must be removed in the second round. Since the second round losses matched the removed SP strength, no RPs are recovered.EXAMPLE: 2 US battalions with 3 SP each are defending in a Cultivated hex that provides +1 defense strength for ARVN Regional Forces. They suffer 4 losses over 2 rounds. The US must use 1 ARVN RP and either 3 US RPs or remove 1 of the 2 US battalions. He must use the ARVN RP because losses must be divided as evenly as possible up to available strength. He could eventually spend up to 4 US RPs without eliminating a US unit, since he can assign 2 hits to one battalion and 1 hit to the other, keeping both under their 2 RP per operation limit. Note that if only 1 US battalion were present it would have to be removed to fulfill the 4th loss point.HQ and artillery units have Combat Strengths of 0. The elimination of either type of unit satisfies 1 point of losses nonetheless. HQ or artillery units may not be removed to sustain losses unless they are in or adjacent to the target hex. When defending against Bombardment missions only, HQ and artillery units are considered to have a ground strength equal to ? their bombardment strength rounding up, for RP limit purposes only. Thus a PAVN divisional HQ with bombardment strength 6 could spend 2 PAVN RPs to absorb a bombardment result. It could not absorb a 3rd and would have to be removed instead.All losses inflicted by the Combat Results Table may be satisfied by eliminating all friendly units that participated in a battle and were in or adjacent to the target hex; no additional Replacement Points need be expended. US and VC brigade-level units may be broken down to sustain losses (9). VC AND LATER ROUND REPLACEMENT RECOVERY If a VC unit sustains combat losses less than its ground Combat Strength, and the NLF player chooses to eliminate it, the difference between its Combat Strength and the losses it sustains may be claimed as an increase in VC replacements available. In addition, if any other force expended RPs to absorb a combat result in a previous round of an operation and is later forced to remove a unit because it exceeded that unit’s operation RP limit, it may recover the RPs spent on that unit, only, up to the point where it was eliminated. It must however fulfill the entire loss amount of its last combat round in this case. Example: A VC (ground Combat Strength of 6) regiment sustains 2 points worth of losses. The NLF player removes it; his replacement pool is increased by 4. EXAMPLE: a US battalion with ground combat strength 3 takes 1 hit in the first round on an operation and pays 1 RP to cover this. In round 2 it takes 2 hits and must be removed. The 1 RP spent in round 1 is recovered in this case. If the second round loss result had been 3 hits, however, no RPs would be recovered, as the battalion must be eliminated without remainder in round 2 to fulfill such a higher full loss result.SUPPORT LOSSES Certain combat rolls indicate the loss of Air or Airmobile Points (in addition to any indicated normal losses). The modified die roll (rather than the original die roll) is used to determine such losses. No more than 1 point of a given type may be eliminated in a given operation; after one point of a given type has been lost, further losses of that type are ignored for the duration of the operation. Note that losses of a given type may occur only if that type of point has been allocated to the operation (e.g., an Airmobile Point will never be lost if no airmobile or airmobilized units are assigned to the operation; 8). A given type of point need not be allocated to a particular attack to incur losses, however; it need only be allocated to the operation. If an airmobile loss is indicated but no Airmobile Points exist to be lost (possible with US 1st Cav or 101st units), the US player loses 1 Victory Point in scenarios, and 1 US morale in campaign games. Retreat and Pursuit If combat takes place in a round, retreat and pursuit are possible. RETREATS Any target units surviving an attack may move their full Movement Point Allowance in any direction. Such movement (Retreat) is always voluntary; surviving target units have the option not to move at all. Retreating units may move in any direction. They may move together, or to different hexes. If a target unit ends its movement in a hex occupied by friendly non-target units, those units immediately become target units as well. Retreating units may move through enemy ZOC's and enemy-occupied hexes, within the strictures of 3.1 and 3.2. They may not end their retreat in an enemy-occupied hex that does not already contain target units. NEW TARGET HEXES Any hexes occupied by target units after all retreats have been taken are target hexes in the operation's new round, PURSUIT After all desired retreats have been conducted, operating units may conduct pursuit movement. Their Movement Point Allowance for pursuit is determined by totaling the combat's pursuit result (see Combat Results Table) and each unit's pursuit modifier (printed on the counter). The raw pursuit allowance is reduced by 1 if the defenders occupied Mountain terrain in this combat round. A unit's Pursuit Allowance can exceed its printed Movement Point Allowance. Units conducting Clear and Secure operations receive -2 pursuit allowance, but their maximum combat modifier is not affected. Example: Two US battalions with printed pursuit modifiers of +4 and +3, respectively, participate in a battle. The pursuit result of the battle is —1. The first battalion may expend up to 3 Movement Points in pursuit, while the second could expend 2 Movement Points. Note that the movement of defending units is irrelevant to pursuit; so long as combat took place, all operating units (including those not directly involved in combat) may conduct pursuit movement, even if no target units retreated or all target units were eliminated. Pursuit movement need not be in the direction of any target unit. Pursuing units may enter and leave enemy ZOC's. They may enter enemy-occupied non-target hexes (risking an incidental attack; 3.2) provided they also leave such hexes (they must, therefore, have sufficient Movement Points to do so). They may enter a new target hex and remain there. COMBAT PURSUIT BONUSES If a pursuing unit ends its pursuit with Movement Points remaining, the remaining Movement Points are added to the combat die roll of any attacks that unit makes that round but only up to a maximum of the raw combat pursuit modifier (reduced by 1 if the defender was in a mountain hex) plus 1. This maximum combat add is the same for units conducting Clear and Secure operations as in Search and Destroy operations. The -2 pursuit allowance modifier for Clear and Secure operations does apply to their total pursuit allowance, of course. A unit must contribute ground Combat Strength to an attack to receive this bonus. If more than one pursuing unit contributes ground Combat Strength to a particular attack, the lowest such modifier is used. If the lowest total Pursuit Allowance of any attacking unit is less than 0, a negative modifier will be applied. Thus, it will sometimes be beneficial to leave some units out of an attack. Pursuit bonuses will never affect the first round of an operation, since no pursuit occurs until after the first round's combat. 1860550114363500Example: A US unit of ground Combat Strength 3 and pursuit modifier of +3 attacks a VC unit with ground Combat Strength 1 in mountainous terrain. The combat odds are 3 to 1, giving a die roll modifier of +3. The terrain's modifier is —2, balancing the odds for a net modifier of +1. A 4 is rolled, modified to the 5 row, giving losses of 0/0 and a raw pursuit result of +1. This raw pursuit number if reduced to 0 by the mountain terrain, then +3 for the US unit’s pursuit modifier. The following round, assuming the VC remains in the hex and the US unit does not move, the modifier to the combat die is +2 (+3 for the odds, —2 for terrain, +0 for the first round's pursuit combat result in mountain terrain, +3 for the US unit's innate pursuit modifier, but limited to 1 higher than the raw result. If the US unit spent 3 MPs to e.g. move 1 mountain hex to maintain contact, its round 2 attack would be +1 as in the first round). UNITS WITHOUT PURSUIT MODIFIERSUnits without printed pursuit modifiers ordinarily may not conduct pursuit. Such US-controlled units may be airmobilized (8.2), however, and thereby permitted to pursue, using the pursuit result of the combat (with -1 for Mountain terrain defenders, and -2 for a Clear and Secure operation if applicable) as their entire Pursuit Allowance. If that pursuit allowance is 0 or less, even an airmobile unit won’t pursue. Note that units may still attack any targets they find adjacent and artillery may still support to the limits of its range in later combat rounds, even if did not move during pursuit.POPULATION CENTERS Population centers (star major cities – Saigon and Hue only - and square capital cities – Gia Dinh, Bin Hoa, Qui Nhon, and Da Nang - not circle regional capital towns) modify the combat die roll, just as any other terrain type. In addition, they have a special effect on the combat pursuit result of the first round of combat. Units attacking star major cities ignore positive pursuit results received on the first round of combat. In addition, their innate Pursuit Allowance is reduced to 0. Square capital cities have a similar but not identical effect: ignore all positive rolled pursuits received on the first round but retain and negative raw table results and innate pursuit modifiers. The maximum net combat add is still set at +1 over this raw combat pursuit modifier, which is now a maximum of 0 in this case.Example: A battalion with a printed pursuit modifier of +2 attacks and receives a pursuit result of +3 on the Combat Results Table. If the target hex were not in a capital, city, or major city, the unit's Pursuit Allowance would be 5 for the second round. If the target hex were a capital or city, the Pursuit Allowance would be 2. If the target hex were a major city, the Pursuit Allowance would be 0. If a pursuit result of +3 were rolled again on the second round, the modified Pursuit Allowance would then be 5 in any of the three cases. Since the effects of population centers apply only to pursuit results received during the first round of combat, Pursuit Allowances for later rounds are calculated normally. Reserves The US player may call in reserves whenever his units are eligible to pursue or retreat, allowing him to supplement a friendly operation or strengthen his forces defending against a hostile operation. Any kind of ground unit may be employed as a reserve, and additional air points may also be allocated to the operation at this time. Naval units may not (7). The NLF player may not utilize reserves. DEFENSIVE RESERVES If the US player is defending against an NLF search and destroy operation, he may activate Defensive reserves. After the combat die roll, if any target unit remains, any non-target unit controlled by the US player which is eligible to participate in an operation (5.1) may be named a defensive reserve. Defensive reserves may move their full Movement Point Allowance, exactly as if retreating from combat. The movement of defensive reserves may be taken before or after any target units have retreated. They may be anywhere on the map (not necessarily even near the combat). They may spark reaction movement. Defensive reserves move once. If they end their movement in a hex containing target units, they become target units themselves. Otherwise they become uninvolved in the operation (and are eligible for reaction if operating units end movement adjacent to them). Movement as a defensive reserve is considered an operation, and makes a unit ineligible for future operations. The US player may also allocate air points to the defense at this time. Note that the first time the US will have the option to add air points to a defense will be after the first combat round, and also note that combat is optional for the phasing NLF player in all subsequent rounds.OFFENSIVE RESERVES If the US player is the phasing player, he may call on Offensive reserves after all target units have retreated. Offensive reserves may be employed only on search and destroy and clear and secure operations (not security operations). Any US, FWA, or SVN units eligible to participate in an operation may be used as an offensive reserve. A unit is simply designated a reserve, assigned to the operation in progress, and may immediately move its full Movement Point Allowance. It may not conduct pursuit movement that round, but it may participate in combat and pursue normally thereafter; it becomes an operating unit. On the round they are brought in, offensive reserves are not considered when computing the combat pursuit bonus (5.6); on later rounds they are considered normally, just as if they had been assigned to the operation in the Designation Segment. If the only operating units participating in an attack are newly activated reserves, the combat pursuit bonus is 0. Once a unit has been used as an offensive reserve, it becomes ineligible for other operations during the turn. Air points allocated to an operation may also be increased at this time, even if no air points were previously allocated. The only penalty for later allocation of air points is that they were not available in earlier combat rounds.Multi-Targeted OperationsA given operation may be assigned only one target hex at its start. In later rounds, as target units retreat and split up, more than one target hex may exist. All operating units pursue normally, and when the time comes for combat, one die is rolled for each target hex against which combat is undertaken. All retreats and pursuits are conducted after the results of all attacks have been applied. The lowest pursuit result of any of the battles in a combat round is used for all operating units. All pursuit movements are conducted before resolving any second or third round combats.MULTIPLE ATTACKS The operating player chooses the order in which attacks are executed. He may see the result of one attack before deciding whether to attack elsewhere. Note that ground and artillery strength may be used only once in a given round, and a given unit's strength may not divided among different attacks. All casualties received in an attack against one target hex are applied before the combat ratio for the next is determined. If a given target hex is not attacked in a given round, the units in it become uninvolved and their hex is no longer a target hex. Such units may not conduct any additional retreats. Special Operations Most operations in Vietnam fell into a few broad categories. Search and destroy operations were designed to seek out and eliminate enemy forces. Operations intended to push enemy forces out of an area and prevent their return fall under the heading of clear and secure. Assignments to keep the major lines of communication open were called security operations. Patrol operations represent aggressive patrolling intended to inhibit enemy movement. Holding operations represent digging in and plotting artillery coordinate, while keeping all forces within prepared positions. Special rules apply to each of the types of operation discussed in this Section. Clear and Secure The type of operation described in Section 5 is a search and destroy operation. Clear and secure operations are identical, with the following modifications. 1. The Pursuit Allowances of units on a clear and secure operation are reduced by two. This does not affect the maximum Combat Add from unused pursuit allowance, however. 2. Units that participate in a clear and secure operation may be placed on holding or patrol operations at the end of any round which does not leave them in a target hex. 3. Only the US player may conduct clear and secure operations, though the mission benefit at the end is only available to US or FWA units. The US player may choose which operations the units will convert to. Some units may be assigned to hold, others to patrol. Once assigned to a holding or patrol operation, a unit becomes uninvolved in the clear and secure operation and may not resume it. Note that ARVN rangers may not be used on clear and secure operations (11). Other ARVN units may participate in the Clear and Secure operation but may not assume Hold or Patrol status at the end of the operation. Only participating US or FWA units may do so.Holding and Patrol During the Special Operations Designation Phase, the players assign units to holding and patrol operations (the US player assigns first, then the NLF player). Units may also begin holding and patrol operations during the Operations Phase. Units on holding or patrol missions should be denoted by the markers that are provided.Units assigned to a holding or patrol mission remain on that mission until the next Special Operations Designation Phase, at which point the operation may be suspended or continued. If a unit on a patrol or holding operation retreats or conducts reaction or alert movement, it is taken off its operation (though it is still ineligible for operations until the next turn). Ineffective ARVN units (11.1) may not be assigned to holding or patrol operations. HOLDING OPERATIONS A unit assigned to a holding operation may not move or attack. Its ground combat strength is doubled if attacked; its artillery strength is not doubled. US side units on Hold orders are however not subject to the normal 50% reduction in firepower for not being in a Free Fire zone when defending their own hex (only) from ground attack. Fire in support of adjacent hexes is still subject to the usual 50% non-Free Fire deduction unless a Free Fire zone is declared. Units on Hold orders have no ZOCs into surrounding hexes, but their hex is still enemy occupied for enemy movement purposes. A hold unit’s undoubled strength is used for determining its own loss column and its RP spending limits. In addition, if all defending units (not counting possible Regional forces) in the hex are on Hold orders, the defender’s loss column is shifted 1 column to the left on the CRT. Regional forces may be used but are not doubled by holding operations (11). PATROL OPERATIONS Units on a patrol operation may not move or attack. They defend normally. The Movement Point cost to leave the ZOC of units on patrol is doubled to 2, as is the cost for airmobile units to land (final hex of movement) in a Patrol ZOC. Note that since NLF units conducting Strategic Movement pay doubled costs to leave enemy occupied hexes or ZOCs, the MP cost to leave a Patrol ZOC via NLF strategic movement is 4 MPs. Battalion-size ARVN and any units with ground Combat Strengths of 0 may not be assigned to patrol operations, and ARVN Rangers can never be placed on Patrol.SecurityThe US player (only) may assign friendly units to security operations during the Strategic Movement Phase or the Operations Phase. Only units beginning a phase on a road may conduct security operations, and only one unit or stack of units may be assigned to any given security operation. Units may “form up” to conduct a Security operation together provided they all start on a road and none enter any enemy ZOC nor any enemy occupied hex before doing so.RESTRICTIONS ON SECURITY OPERATIONS The moving stack of a security operation may not contain both US and ARVN units. FWA units may be freely included in security operations with either ARVN or US units, but US and ARVN units may not be together in a security operation's moving stack. Units assigned to security operations may move only along roads for the entire operation. They move along roads at 0-Movement Point cost, but may not move off-road. Security operation stacks do not need to start the operation together, but they must unite before any of them spends any MPs (leaves any enemy ZOC). Security units or stacks may enter enemy-occupied road hexes (note that no alert movement is allowed; 5.2). They must then attack immediately. The combat odds, die-roll modifiers, and casualties are assessed normally (5.5), and retreat (5.6) may be conducted as usual. However, retreats conducted by defenders against Security operation attacks may not at any point in their retreat enter the hex from which the operating units entered the hex of battle, nor the 2 preceding hexes along the same road that the Security force stack passed through before that entry hex. This means they may not retreat “up” the road from the direction the Security operation came, nor cross that road within that distance of the battle hex. The modified Pursuit Allowance of the operating units is 0 on a security operation, however; ignore all pursuit modifiers and pursuit results on the Combat Results Table. Note further that any defenders who retreat off all roads will be immune to any additional combat from this or any other Security operation.After any retreats by defending units, the operating player may withdraw any or all of the operating units to the hex from which they entered the hex of combat. Such units become uninvolved, and may not resume the operation. Other operating units must continue to attack if defending units remain in their hex. If all defending units in the hex have retreated or been destroyed, the operating units may continue their movement, perhaps entering and attacking other enemy-occupied road hexes. Units on security missions (like all units) may not exceed their Movement Point Allowances, but they expend Movement Points only to exit enemy ZOC's. Note that a unit may continue moving after it has expended all its Movement Points; it simply may not leave any enemy ZOC that it enters. However, after a third combat round, the Security formation must halt, in the hex in which the final combat occurred if it cleared that hex and in the hex from which it entered that hex otherwise.Units on security operations may not attack enemy units in adjacent hexes — only units in their own hex. Security operations are limited to 3 rounds of combat like all other operations and must end their operation after the conclusion of a third round of combat. If they did not clear the hex in which this last round of combat occurred, they must back up to the immediately preceding road hex they entered that combat from and are marked Ops Complete in that hex. If they did clear the third combat round’s hex of all enemy units, they must halt in the final cleared hex.Some of the units on a security operation may cease movement while others continue the operation. Once a unit has split off from the operating units, it is Ops Complete and may not resume the operation. Reaction movement is never triggered during the course of a security operation; after such an operation has ended, any enemy units adjacent to formerly operating units may take a reaction move (5.3). FirepowerMassive amounts- of artillery and airpower were sent to Vietnam and on call for use in the field. Artillery was deployed in ''fire-bases," fortified enclosures, close to the troops- it was supporting, and often deep in the jungle. If necessary, it could even be rapidly repositioned by helicopter. When supporting ground forces, (milieu was deadly. Spotters could "walk" a barrage into an enemy force with minimal risk to friendly units. Firepower was also used to inhibit enemy movement. A wall of artillery fire would block enemy retreat while friendly forces advanced, A third tactic was saturation bombing, most often using airpower. Large strikes would be directed into an area, hoping to catch an enemy force.Artillery is an important part of the US player's arsenal, and a not-insignificant part of the NLF player's. Most combat units have an Artillery Strength as well as a Combat Strength. Both players have HQ and artillery units whose entire strength is artillery. The US player also has Air Points and naval gunfire, which function exactly like Artillery Strength Points. Air, naval, and Artillery Strength may be combined freely and are collectively termed Support Points.1471626-706800Types of Artillery Three types of units have Artillery Strength: Dedicated artillery; Independent artillery; and combat units with Organic Artillery Strength. DEDICATED ARTILLERYDivision and brigade-level HQ's and artillery directly subordinate to a division are Dedicated artillery (note that only the US 23rd Division has a directly subordinate artillery unit). Dedicated artillery may support only units under the same command, regardless of phasing, operational assignment, or any other clause in these rules. A division's dedicated artillery (from divisional HQ units and the 23rds special case unit) can provide support in an operation in which some units from the division are involved as phasing assigned units or are target units of an enemy operation. Within such an operation they may provide interdiction or combat support only for combats in which unit is participating, on attack or defense, from within their division. They never support a combat in which no divisional unit is participating merely by the “contagion” of unit participation in the broader operation.Similarly, a brigade-level HQ can only support during operation in which units from the brigade are involved, by interdiction or offensive or defensive support for a ground combat in which a unit of their brigade is involved.Dedicated artillery may provide interdiction and offensive support only in operations for which it was assigned and activated, whether as initial forces or (US player only) as defensive or offensive reserves after the first round. It may only move during operations to which it is assigned, similarly. Dedicated artillery may provide defensive fire support, only, for units within their command span, only, whenever those are involved in combat and are within range. This may include defensive fires against incidental attacks vs units within the dedicated artillery’s formation, only, regardless of whose operation or form of movement triggers that incidental attack. They may not provide offensive support of incidental attack by units of their formation unless it occurs during an operation to which the artillery units themselves are currently assigned. And they may never provide support of any kind to units not in their command span.Dedicated artillery is marked Op Complete at the conclusion of any mission to which is was assigned, whether to move or to fire, whether it fired or not, and whether assigned initially or as defensive or offensive reserves. Dedicated artillery marked Ops Complete may not provide any further offensive support or interdiction for the remainder of the game turn. It may still provide defensive support to units within its formation.INDEPENDENT ARTILLERYExcept for the unit directly subordinate to the US 23rd Division, all units with the artillery type symbol are Independent. Independent artillery may support any friendly units, regardless of formation or nationality. An independent artillery unit may provide any kind of support during a friendly operation to which it is assigned – interdiction, offensive, defensive, initially assigned or (US player only) as defensive or offensive reserved. Assignment to an operation causes the assigned independent artillery unit to be marked Ops Complete at the conclusion of that mission regardless. Independent artillery that is not marked Ops Complete may also provide support to any friendly unit in range that is attacked during an enemy operation, whether as a target unit or in an incidental attack. It may continue to provide such support to that friendly unit or to any other in range until the end of that enemy operation, after which it is marked Ops Complete. Independent artillery that is already marked Ops Complete may not provide any form of support, including defensive support, after that. It may fire in defense of itself if its own hex is attacked, and that is ANIC ARTILLERYOrganic artillery is built into many units with ground Combat Strengths (e.g., VC regiments have an organic Artillery Strength of 2). A unit's organic artillery may be used in any operation or combat in which the unit takes part. Similarly, artillery units may always provide their artillery strength to defend their own hex when they are attacked, whether stacked with other friendly units or alone.ARTILLERY BOMBARDMENT OPERATIONSOrganic artillery only supports its own unit in ground combats. All other forms of artillery may fire Bombardment operation attacks to the limits of their range, but only in an operation of that type to which they are assigned, only if they are available for operations (not currently Ops Complete nor on Hold orders) and they become Ops Complete on doing so. Dedicated artillery does not need participation by units in their command span as maneuver units don’t participated in Bombardment operations. Restrictions on Artillery The range of units with artillery capacity is noted on their counters. If there are two bullets (??), the unit may fire across two intervening hexes. Units whose Artillery Strength is noted by one bullet (?) may fire across one intervening hex. Units whose Artillery Strength is not marked with a bullet may only use their Artillery Strength in their own hexes or in adjacent hexes. Artillery Strength may never be applied at more than the unit's maximum allowable range. In all cases, the attacker in a particular combat (even if he is not the operating player) allocates artillery and air before the defender does so. Example: The US player is conducting an operation. VC units react through a US-occupied her and the US player forces incidental combat. The NIP player must declare artillery support before the US player does so. SUPPORTING INCIDENTAL ATTACKSArtillery or airpower assigned to an operation may support any incidental attacks by operating units, though any such support counts against the support available for that round of the operation. Units defending against an incidental attack may be supported by airpower assigned to the operation, eligible artillery within the constraints described above. Incidental attacks never loosen the conditions of artillery support. In addition, a given unit’s artillery strength may never be divided, and may only be applied once in any given round (including incidental attacks during Alert movement, retreats, and pursuits including movement of reserves). To be clear, no artillery that supports any incidental combat offensively or defensively may provide any additional interdiction or support of any other kind within that round. Naval gunfire (7.4) may not be used in incidental attacks. LIMITS TO ARTILLERY SUPPORTArtillery, air, and naval support in excess of 3 times the friendly unmodified ground Combat Strength involved in a combat is not considered when calculating the combat ratio. This limit applies before any 50% reduction to US side firepower due to not being in a Free Fire zone. The full amount of supporting strength – reduced for any no Free Fire effects - is still added to enemy strength when determining losses. Example: Two US 175mm independent artillery units are stacked together (alone) in a hex. They are supported by 5 Air Points. Their total Defense Strength if attacked would be 4 (1 as the minimum ground Combat Strength for any target hex, and 3 as the maximum artillery and/or air possible for support of 1 ground Strength Point). A force attacking them would still add 25 to its strength when calculating its own losses (assuming the region were free fire; 7.6 — if not, the force's Defense Strength would still be only 2.5, and only 12 would be added to enemy strength when calculating losses.). Artillery Strength is never halved by hexside terrain; bombarding across an escarpment or water hexside does not diminish the effectiveness of artillery, Airpower The instructions to each scenario assign a number of Air Points to the US player. During campaign scenarios, more Air Points will become available through the reinforcement process (17.1). When he receives Air Points, the US player should note their arrival on his Record Sheet. During the Support Phase of each game-turn, the US player should examine his Record Sheet to determine how many Air Points are available to him (i.e., how many he has received over the course of the game, minus any that have been destroyed; in campaign games, the amount of air already committed to strategic bombing, 14.1, will also be subtracted from the amount available). This amount should be noted on the General Record Track with the Air Available marker. As Air Points are used in the course of the turn, this marker should be decremented toward 0. Example: The US player has received 30 Air Points over the course of a game. Four have been destroyed, and 6 were employed in strategic bombing. The Air Available marker is placed in position 20 of the General Record Track, If 3 Air Points were then used, the marker would be repositioned at 17, A given Air Point may be used once per game-turn (and thus twice each season). Air Points may not be used if not available (i.e., once the Air Available marker is at 0, no further air may be employed that game-turn). The use of Airmobile (8.2) and Riverine Points (8.3) is identical. One Air Point is equivalent to an Artillery Strength of 1. It may bombard, interdict, or provide ground support, exactly like Artillery Strength (7.5). Air Points may be used anywhere on the map, without range restrictions Air support for a given operation may be declared during the Support Declaration Segment of US player operations and may be used once in every round of that operation for interdiction or offensive or defensive support to incidental or target hex combats. In addition, air support may be declared in the retreat segment of NLF operations when defensive reserves are declared, and additional air support may be added to US operations in the pursuit segment when offensive reserves are declared. There is no penalty for assigning air to an operation later other than loss of its use in earlier rounds of that operation. Also note that the first time air support may be declared in an NLF operation is in the first retreat phase after the first round of combat, and that combat in later rounds is optional for the NLF player after that allocation.Note that a given Air Point remains available for use throughout an operation, even if a combat result indicates that it has been destroyed (5.5); air losses are applied at the end of an operation. Air point losses never exceed 1 per operation. Example: Seven Air points are assigned to an operation. One is destroyed during the operation's first round. The loss is noted on the US player's Record Sheet (reducing air available for later turns), but 7 Air Points remain available for later rounds of that operation. WEATHER 1558925159004000Monsoons disrupted the use of tactical air power over much of SVN during the spring. During campaign scenarios only, reduce the number of Air Points available for tactical use by 25 percent (round remaining points down). Immediately after placing the Air Available marker, it should be repositioned at 75 percent of its original value. Note that these points are not destroyed; they are merely unavailable for that season. Since weather has already been taken into account when determining the specifications for the non-campaign scenarios, no modification of available air should take place in these scenarios. Available Airmobile Points suffer an identical 25 percent reduction during spring seasons (8.2). Naval Gunfire The US player may be assigned ships in a scenario. He may also procure additional ships in a campaign game (17.1). One battleship (the New Jersey) and up to three cruisers may be committed to Vietnam. These ships may be committed to any friendly operation involving US units. Committing the battleship to an operation is equivalent to committing 16 Air Points, with the proviso that these points may be applied only to hexes within 4 (3 intervening: ???) hexes of an all-sea hex. The cruisers each have a strength of 6 and a range of 3 (2 intervening: ??) hexes. Ships may be assigned to one operation per turn. They may be used once each round of the operation to which they are committed. Note that like air points, naval support may be divided as desired among any number of targets and uses within the supported operation.Example: An operation in Quang Ngai has split, so that it now has two target hexes, 5018 and 5023. The New Jersey has been assigned to support the operation. The US player might place the New Jersey in 5319 to support the northern battle (allocating, say, 10 points of its 16 to that battle). Once the die roll for that combat has been made, the New Jersey could be shifted to 5421 to apply its remaining 6 points of support to the other battle. Support Missions Artillery, naval gunfire, and airpower may be used on three missions: ground support; interdiction; and bombardment. GROUND SUPPORT When used for ground support, artillery, naval gunfire, and Air Points increase the Combat Strength of a friendly force for an at-tack or defense, and increase enemy casualties. Each supporting point adds 1 to a friendly force's Combat Strength when calculating the combat ratio (to a maximum of 3 times friendly ground strength; 7.2), and 1 to enemy strength when calculating casualties. INTERDICTION Interdiction markers increase the Movement Point cost for units of both sides to leave a hex. If 3 Support Points are applied to interdict a given hex, 1 Movement Point is added to the cost to leave it. If 7 points are applied, the additional cost is 2. A hex cannot be interdicted for a penalty greater than 2. The effects of interdiction are assessed in addition to those of ZOC's, terrain, and enemy-occupied hexes. Interdiction markers may be placed in a hex at the start of a Combat Segment of an operation and (in the first round of an operation) during the Alert Segment. They are removed at the end of each combat round after the pursuit phase. Hexes containing enemy or friendly units may be interdicted without restriction. Interdiction affects friendly and enemy units alike. BOMBARDMENT During the Operations Phase, the player designated to conduct an operation may conduct a Bombardment attack. He assigns artillery, air, and naval strength to the attack, and selects a single target hex. Bombardment attacks may not be conducted against units on the Ho Chi Minh Trail (17.8). A minimum of 4 effective (post-free-fire; 7.6) Support Points must be allocated to any bombardment attack, though more may participate. No combat ratio is computed; the combat die is rolled and modified for terrain, and casualties are determined normally (though the bombarding player can suffer no losses beyond the Air Point noted on the table). Targets on Hold orders receive a 1 column shift to the left for casualty determinations as in other combats.Example: Two NVA mechanized regiments are in a jungle hex in a free-fire zone. Six Air Points are assigned to bombard them. The PAVN have no Alert movement ability because they are mechanized (augmented). A 3 is rolled, —1 for the terrain. The NVA force suffers 1 loss. Bombardment is a one-shot operation. Interdiction may be placed first, then support Points are assigned to bombard. There is no movement by the phasing player (but there may be Alert movement by the defender, see below). The die is rolled with the terrain DRM applied; losses are taken; and the operation ends. Bombardment may not take place during the course of another operation; it is an operation itself. Note that, in the case of VC and PAVN infantry regiment units, an alert roll is conducted with a -2 DRM to the alert movement point allowance, and if, after alert movement, no NLF units remain in the target hex, the bombardment has no effect. There is no retreat or pursuit after bombardment. Additional alert modifiers may apply e.g. +1 if ARVN artillery are participating and the alert unit is VC, -2 if the alert unit is a PAVN regiment or VC divisional headquarters, etc.Free-Fire Zones All US artillery, naval, and air support function at reduced effectiveness unless the hex it is being used against is in a region which has been declared "free-fire." Each Support Point contributes only 1/2-point of strength (note that fractions must be retained, since they may be relevant to the combat ratio). It would take 6 points to minimally interdict a hex in a non-free-fire zone, for example. The limit of support helping combat odds only up to 3 times ground unit strength is applied before the no free-fire reduction.The US player declares a region free-fire by placing a mark next to the region on the Population Control Sheet. Free-Fire markers may also be placed on the map to help the players remember when a region has been declared free-fire. These markers may be placed in any convenient spot in or near the affected region. A region may be declared free-fire at multiple times. It can be declared during a US operation's Support Declaration Segment, which is the only time early enough to help with first round interdiction. It may also be declared at the start of any combat phase after all participating units are revealed or the US player sees what the odds look like without it. The only penalty for declaring a free fire zone later in an operation is that the benefits of full firepower earlier will have already been lost, while the Pacification impact of the declared zone remain the same.At the end of the Pacification Phase (12), all regions revert to non-free-fire status. Declaring a province free-fire makes pacification (13) more difficult, and imposes a Victory Point penalty in non-campaign scenarios (18). Note that no free-fire distinction is made for NLF-controlled units; they always function at full effectiveness. In addition, US units on Hold orders never suffer from free-fire reductions when firing in defense of their own hex.No free-fire distinction is made within Da Nang (4411) and the entire region of Gia Dinh, or outside SVN borders (both sides' support functions at full effectiveness). Border hexes are considered part of SVN for this purpose. Airmobility and Riverines During the conflict in Vietnam, the helicopter emerged as the workhorse of the army. Heliborne troops and artillery could be swiftly transported to where they were needed, or withdrawn where in danger. The helicopter made supplying ground forces so easy that beer could be brought to troops in the middle of battle. Two entire divisions (the 1st Cav and 101st Airborne) were officially "airmobile," equipped with organic helicopter transport. If the need arose, other formations could draw upon a constantly increasing pool of helicopter resources. Note that there are no airdrops in Vietnam. Airborne units are treated exactly as ordinary infantry. While airborne units were historically assigned to Vietnam, only a few parachute operations were attempted because of the density of the terrain and the comparative ease of heliborne mobile operations. All infantry and HQ's in the US 1st Cavalry and 101st Divisions are permanently airmobile, The US player may temporarily air-mobilize other friendly units (including ARVN and FWA units) through the use of Airmobile Points. Airmobile Points are received and their use recorded in the same manner as Air Points (7.3). Just like Air Points, Airmobile Points may be used once per turn. They suffer a similar 25 percent reduction in numbers during the spring as well (7.3).A number of US formations in the vicinity of the Mekong Delta were equipped with shallow-draft boats. The effect of such equipment is simulated by Riverine Points. Riverine Points are received and their use recorded in the same manner as Air Points. Airmobile Movement Airmobile units ignore hexside Movement Point costs and ex-pend 1/2 a Movement Point for each hex they enter (regardless of terrain), except for the last. The hex that an airmobile unit ends its movement in is called its Landing Hex. The Movement Point cost of a landing hex is: 3, if the hex is enemy-occupied or in a patrolling enemy unit's ZOC (6.2). 2, if the hex is not enemy-occupied and only in the ZOC of non-patrolling enemy units. 1, if the hex contains no enemy unit or ZOC. Terrain is irrelevant. Airmobile units pay normal Movement Point penalties to leave enemy ZOC's, enemy-occupied hexes, and interdicted hexes. They may be forced into incidental at-tacks. Example: 1/1/1C moves along the indicated path. It expends 1/2 Movement Point for 4721, 1/2 for 4821, 1/2 for 4922, 1+1/2 for 5022 (1/2, + 1 for the VC unit's ZOC), and 5 for 5123 (3 to land, + 2 to leave a patrolling unit's ZOC). An airmobile unit (either naturally airmobile or airmobilized by Airmobile Points) has the choice of moving on the ground or by airmobile movement. It may choose one alternative one round of an operation, and another the next without restriction, and without expending additional Airmobile Points. Airmobile and ground movement may not be combined by the same unit in a given round, however. Airmobile infantry pay foot Movement Point costs when moving on the ground. Airmobile HQ's moving on the ground pay mech Movement Point costs. Units air-mobilized by Airmobile Points (8.2) pay their normal Movement Point rate when moving on the ground. HOT LANDING ZONES If a unit moving by air is forced into an incidental attack or ends its movement in a target hex, its casualties in the ensuing battle will be higher. When losses are calculated after the attack, the Combat Strengths of units which moved by air into the target hex in the current round are doubled and the "Airmobile Loss" results marked with an asterisk (*) become applicable (see Com-bat Results Table). Example: A unit with strength 3 moves by air into a target hex. Its Combat Strength is considered to be 6 when determining friendly losses that round. If further rounds of combat take place in the same hex, its strength would be undoubled for loss determination. If the unit moved by air into a new target hex, however, its losses would again be judged as if it had a strength of 6. ALL-SEA TERRAINAirmobile units may cross all-sea hexsides and move through all-sea hexes, though they are destroyed if they end a move at sea. Note that, because of limitations on the size of the map and the rather awkward shape of Southeast Asia, there are no all-sea hexes adjacent to certain stretches of coast. Airmobile units may move through imaginary all-sea hexes off-map, provided they return to the map before ending their movement. Airmobilization Units may be airmobilized at any point during an operation, or at the start of any reaction move, in the course of an operation. Units airmobilized by the expenditure of Airmobile Points may move as airmobile units for the duration of the current operation. Each Airmobile Point used will airmobilize one battalion or HQ. Brigade or regimental-sized units may be airmobilized for 3 Airmobile Points. There is no advantage to airmobilizing units which are already airmobile. A given Airmobile Point may be used once each turn. They may be used by US, FWA, and ARVN forces. AIRMOBILE PURSUIT Units without Pursuit Allowances (and thus ordinarily unable to pursue) may pursue if airmobilized. They are given pursuit modifiers of 0 (before allowing for the combat result). Such units may pursue only by air; they do not have the option to pursue on the ground. HQ's from the US 1st Cavalry and 101st divisions may pursue only by air; they do not have the option of pursuing on the ground. GROUND-BOUND UNITS 175mm artillery, armored, armored cavalry, and mechanized units may not be airmobilized. The Movement Point Allowances of units ineligible for airmobile movement are shaded. Riverines The US player may expend Riverine Points to speed friendly units' movement through watery terrain. A given Riverine Point may be used once per game-turn. Riverine Points are never destroyed. They may be used by US, ARVN, or FWA units. One Riverine Point turns one battalion Amphibious. Amphibious units move normally, with the following two exceptions: 1. They expend 1 Movement Point to enter marsh hexes. 2. They may ignore minor rivers and water hexsides entirely, for all purposes; they may not enter or cross all-sea hexes or hexsides, however. A unit designated amphibious remains so for the duration of the operation. A unit may be rendered amphibious for a reaction move or for reserve movement, and remains amphibious for the duration of the operation in progress. Airmobile units may be made amphibious, but they may not combine airmobile and amphibious movement in the same move. No independent or dedicated artillery may be made amphibious, nor may any type of unit ineligible for airmobile movement (8.2). Brigade-level units may be made amphibious at a cost of 3 Riverine Points. Brigade-Level FormationsUS troops were usually deployed in small formations to maximize the territory they could cover. Units of battalion size were sufficient for combing the jungle; even in the unlikely event that something too big for them was discovered, the helicopter meant that reserves and fire support were only a radio away. Depending on the nature of an operation, however, formations could be deployed in different ways. If a tough battle were expected, an entire brigade could be gathered and coordinated for maximum strength. If the battalions of a brigade were to be operating independently, but within a small area, the brigade's entire artillery resources could be available on call to support each battalion. Alternatively, when the battalions operated farther afield, the brigade's artillery could be divided among the battalions, ensuring some support for each. All US brigades and regiments may be deployed in 3 different ways. The entire brigade may be one counter; the brigade HQ and 3 (occasionally more) battalions with separate counters may be used; the 3 battalions alone may be used, with the HQ's sup-port elements dispersed among them. ALTERNATE DEPLOYMENTS Under the first deployment, the front face of the brigade or regiment counter is used. The separate battalion counters are not in play. Under the second deployment, the rear face of the brigade or regiment HQ is used, along with the front faces of its component battalions. The component battalions of all US brigades and regiments are provided in the countermix. Most brigade-level units have 3 battalions, though some have 4. Under the third deployment, the rear faces of the brigade or regiment's component battalions are used. The HQ is not in play. All US battalions brought into play as reinforcements come on face-up unless an entire brigade or regiment is brought in on the same turn. If so, any of the three deployments may be used. Note that a battalion may not be brought on as a reinforcement if its superior brigade or regiment is already in play under the first deployment (since the battalion is already considered in play as part of that unit). SWITCHING BETWEEN DEPLOYMENTS The US player may switch units between alternate deployments during the Unit Status Phase (of the Strategic Interphase; 12). To switch from the first deployment to either of the others, simply place the component battalions in the brigade or regiment's hex, flipping all counters to the correct side for the deployment. To switch from the second to the third deployment, simply remove the HQ and flip all component battalions to their reverse side. To switch from the third deployment to the second, flip all component battalions to their front sides and place the HQ in any component battalion's hex. This transition may be done only if all components of the brigade or regiment are on the map. To switch from the second or third deployment to the first, remove all component battalions, and place the brigade or regiment, front face up, in their hex. All components must be on the map and in the same hex to effect this transition. Only one change of deployment may take place for a given brigade or regiment in a given Unit Status Phase. Changes of deployment may not take place at any other time during a turn except for breakdowns to sustain combat losses (see below). BREAKDOWNSVC regiments may be broken down into 3 battalions during the Unit Status Phase. The NLF player simply removes the regiment and puts 3 randomly selected battalions in its place. Any battalions not in play may be used. No supplies or personnel are recovered (17.5). US and VC brigade-level units deployed as a single counter may be broken down to facilitate loss-taking. At least one of the battalions derived from the breakdown must be removed as a casualty from the map immediately after the breakdown. US units must go to the second deployment (with HQ's) when they undergo such a breakdown. Example The US 199th brigade (in 1st deployment) sustains 5 losses. The US player chooses to break the unit down into its 4 component battalions and the HQ. He then removes a battalion with a Combat Strength of 3 and expends 2 Replacement Points to satisfy the loss. If a brigade-level unit is broken down, any component units retain any holding or patrol mission assigned their superior unit. Note that a number of ARVN battalions are provided in the countermix. They may be assigned by a scenario or formed by recruitment (17.4). They may not be formed by breaking down regiments or brigades, nor may they be combined to form these units. Limited IntelligenceThough US intelligence was generally able to tell where there was enemy activity, and where there was not, it was usually not possible to determine the power of VC forces in the area. Vietnamese sympathetic to the NLF would give misleading information, or conceal guerrilla forces. If a road were shelled, it might be difficult to tell whether a large unit or a few men with mortars had done it. Despite a vast array of electronic sensing gear, Vietnam's dense cover defeated the best efforts to locate and quantify VC forces. While it was also sometimes difficult to find NVA units, these were regular army formations, and much easier to find. All VC units have two sides. Their front face shows their type and values; the other side does not differentiate among the various types of VC unit. VC units will usually have this second side face-up. A VC unit's values are only revealed when deter-mining combat odds or the results of bombardment. Artillery must also be revealed if the NLF player wishes to use it for inter-diction. Except for these cases, VC units may react, move, and conduct operations without ever being exposed. Units revealed for combat are turned back over immediately after casualties are distributed. Unless he wishes to force an incidental attack (3.2), the NLF player does not have to reveal VC units when enemy units pass through their hex. POLITICAL SECTIONSThe NLF player has VC units called Political Sections. These units will be assigned in scenarios. In campaign games, they may not be created via the usual recruitment process (17.5). Instead, each Recruitment Phase the NLF player may place up to 4 political sections anywhere on the map. Political sections may move normally, using foot Movement Point costs. They may participate in operations, although they may not be placed on patrol. They do have ZOC's, and do count as NLF-controlled units for the purposes of pacification (13). If an attack is announced against a hex containing a political section, or if a political section is ever forced into an incidental attack, the section is immediately destroyed. Political sections are destroyed after an attack has been announced, but before it takes place. Example: One US battalion is assigned to a search and destroy operation. The target of the operation is a hex containing 2 political sections. The battalion enters the hex. The political sections use alert movement to enter different adjacent hexes. The US player decides to attack one of them. The political section is removed but, since no combat took place, no pursuit (or retreat) is allowed, and the operation ends immediately. The other political section is unaffected. The ARVNAt its peak, the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam had a nominal strength in excess of 600,000 men. More than half of these were essentially militia, living at or near their homes, under the control of local administrators. These forces were used to garrison heavily populated areas, and to help repel NLF incursions. Another important branch of the ARVN was the rangers. Specially trained and equipped, 55 battalions of rangers operated out of small camps in the wilds. These were some of the most effective ARVN forces of all; they frequently supplemented both ARVN and US operations. The rangers also patrolled South Vietnam's border, interfering with NLF infiltration. The rest of the ARVN was frequently plagued by high desertion rates and inept or corrupt officers. The leaders of many ARVN units would seek to avoid combat. The ARVN had the equipment and manpower to make its presence felt; what was missing were training, morale, and leadership. The instructions to some scenarios will indicate that certain ARVN formations are Ineffective. Such units' capabilities are greatly reduced. In addition to the regular ARVN forces, there are two types of ARVN auxiliary unit: Regional Forces and Rangers. Regional forces exist automatically in all scenarios and campaigns. Rangers are produced (17.4) or assigned by scenario instructions. Ineffective Units Ineffective units are ineligible for all operations except strategic movement. They may still react (5.3) and defend normally. They retain their ZOC's. They may not force incidental attacks upon enemy units passing through their hex (3.2). Ineffective artillery may fire in support of defending friendly units if otherwise eligible (7.1). STRATEGIC MOVEMENT OF INEFFECTIVE UNITSIneffective units may utilize strategic movement during the Strategic Movement Phase (only), subject to two restrictions: they may not enter any hex containing a national or corps boundary; and they must end any strategic movement in a town, city, major city, or cultivated hex. An ineffective unit may not begin strategic movement if it cannot meet these two requirements. Regional forces Regional forces may be used in any combat in which US-controlled forces defend. Regional forces add 2 to the Combat Strength of a force defending in a town, city, or major city, and 1 to a force defending in cultivated terrain without any of these features. Regional forces must be used whenever the terrain makes them available. Regional forces used are added to the friendly force's Combat Strength when determining combat odds, friendly ground strength for loss column purposes, and provide the capacity to use 1 ARVN replacement during that combat. They are not considered when determining maximum artillery commitment (7.2) or its effectiveness. Note that division of losses across participating national forces is mandatory and must be as even as possible, and this includes the 1 RP of ARVN losses to Regional forces. So e.g. if a US strength 3 battalion defends in a town hex, the US side ground strength for both odds and loss column purposes is 5. If they suffer 1 hit it could be covered by either a US or an ARVN RP, but if they suffer 2 hits they must take 1 of each RP as losses.RangersRangers are assigned in the scenarios and may be created by the recruitment process (17.4). They are kept in the Ranger Holding Box when not in use. Rangers serve two purposes: they increase the Movement Point cost for NLF units to enter SVN national border hexes; and rangers may supplement friendly search and destroy operations. RANGER BORDER INTERDICTION 244094054659300If 3 or 4 ranger groups are in play (i.e., on the map or in the Ranger Holding Box), the Movement Point cost for NLF-controlled units to enter an SVN national border hex is increased by 1. If 5 rangers are in play, the Movement Point cost is increased by 2. RANGERS IN SEARCH AND DESTROY OPERATIONSImmediately after the US player has designated the units to participate in a search and destroy operation (not clear and secure) he may roll a die to include SVN rangers. If the roll is less than or equal to the number of ranger units in play, a number of ranger units equal to the die roll may be placed in any hexes containing operating units. If the roll is greater than the number of rangers available, none may be placed. No more than one ranger may he placed in any given hex. If more rangers are available than there are hexes containing operating units, the excess rangers may not be placed. Once placed, ranger groups may move, attack, and pursue until the end of the operation, at which point they are removed from the map and replaced in their Holding Box. While on the map, rangers are treated as any other unit, and unlike other ARVN battalion strength units they do have ZOCs. Each deployed Ranger battalion may spend up to 2 RPs to absorb combat losses during a given operation; this is higher than the normal limit for a 2 SP unit because the Ranger group represents a larger body of men than the participating unit itself. The same Ranger unit may be used in any number of operations in a turn. DESTRUCTION OF RANGERS If a Ranger unit takes a third hit during the same operation, it has exceeded its normal RP capacity and is destroyed. The US player has the option to reduce the ARVN replacement pool by 5 immediately and return the ranger to the Ranger Holding Box. If he chooses not to expend these points, the ranger is not replaced in the Ranger Holding Box and is no longer available for future operations or border interdiction. RPs previously spent for that Ranger battalion in this operation may be recovered in this case; its destruction completely fulfills the loss result of the 3+ hits that Ranger unit sustained.Seasonal InterphaseMilitary maneuvers were only one part of the Vietnam War. Political matters and the broad allocation of resources were also of paramount importance. Rules Sections 12 through 17 are used only in the two campaign games. In these scenarios, a seasonal interphase occurs before the first game-turn of each season. Like the game-turn sequence, the interphase sequence rigidly defines the order in which certain activities are conducted. SEQUENCE OUTLINESeasonal Interphase 1. Recordkeeping Phase Both players fill out sections of their Record Sheets as necessary. 2. Pacification Phase The US player checks each region of SVN for the success of his pacification effort. SVN morale and the presence of NLF units and of free-fire zones will all affect a region's pacification. 3. Strategic War PhaseA. Mission Declaration Segment The US player declares what strategic bombing missions he will undertake against the North and the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the amount of airpower he will devote to each. B. Bombing Execution SegmentThe results of the missions declared above are resolved. The NLF player notes any hits against the North on his Record Sheet.C. Trail Status Segment The Effective Status marker on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track is reduced by one box for each hit scored against the trail in the preceding Segment. The optimal status of the Trail might also be changed on a star result only. Trail repair occurs later in the NVN commitment segment.D. Blockade Segment The NLF player informs the US player of his allocation of NVN commitment to supplying the VC by sea. The effects of the US naval blockade are then determined and new VC sea supply is recorded.4. Politics Phase A. SVN Officer Replacement SegmentThe US player must attempt to replace disloyal South Vietnamese leaders and may attempt to replace leaders of doubtful loyalty. B. Coup Determination SegmentThe US player checks South Vietnam's political stability for the current turn. Possible results include coup, instability, and relative stability. C. NEW US COMMITMENT SegmentThe US player checks for the arrival or removal of allied Korean, Thai, Australian, New Zealand, and Philippine forces. The US player decides what his new commitment will be for the current season, positive or negative, and allocates his new commitment or conducts unit or support point withdrawals to meet his planned commitment change.D. SVN Morale Adjustment Segment The effects of the SVN draft level, new US commitments, and the shifting loyalties of the people of SVN are applied to SVN morale. SVN morale may, in turn, influence the loyalties of SVN leaders. After these morale adjustments, roll on the SVN Leader Loyalty Table, and modify the loyalties of SVN leaders as indicated. E. US Morale Adjustment Segment The effects of current and new US commitment, SVN politics, the intensity of the NLF effort in the South, and the last season's successes in the field are applied to US morale. Remove Captured Capital markers from capitals not currently held by the NLF. F. NVN Morale Adjustment Segment The current level of US commitment, this seasons new commitment, and the existing NVN morale level modify new NVN morale, which in turn affects the NLF player's ability to draw support from the North. G. NVN Commitment Segment The NLF player allocates any desired new NVN commitment up to the limit set by NVN’s current morale level. Trail status improves by 1 level toward optimal for free, but not closer to the trail Optimal box than the number of bombing hits scored this season. The NLF player may spend 1 commitment to improve it an additional box within the same limit, provided in was 2 or more below its optimal level before this season’s bombing. The NLF player may upgrade the Optimal level of the trail only if it was at its recent-bombing maximum on the first free change. The NLF player then receives VC trail supply and recruits according to last season’s amounts sent and the current Effective status of the trail. The NLF player plans next season’s trail supply, sea supply, and recruits sent by the trail and raises NVN commitment to fund them. The NLF player buys any new PAVN units and PAVN RPs and receives them immediately. New PAVN units are placed in the northernmost trail box.5. Recruitment Phase A. US, ARVN, and FWA Placement and Withdrawal SegmentThe US player deploys new ground, air, and naval units within the new commitment previously planned in step C to Vietnam and allocates economic and military aid to SVN, increasing SVN morale and ARVN supplies accordingly. He removes any units he is withdrawing to reduce US commitment. He then creates new ARVN units and upgrades any augmented units he has paid to improve, using ARVN supplies. The SVN draft level will increase as units are created. B. NVA and VC Placement SegmentThe NLF player creates and deploys new VC units within his available VC supply, draft level, recruit, and provincial supply limits. New VC forces may also be built outside of SVN in Laos, Cambodia, or on any box of the trail. C. Infiltration SegmentThe NLF player may move units along the trail in Laos and Cambodia, exit the trail, and have units near the trail enter and move along it at this time. Units that end this segment on the trail are Ops Complete for the first turn of the coming season.D. Offensive Declaration SegmentThe NLF player may declare an offensive if US commitment is 150 or greater. 6. Unit Status Phase A. US Organizational SegmentThe US player may alter the organization of his brigade-level units. B. ARVN Effectiveness Determination SegmentThe US player checks the effectiveness of ARVN formations. C. VC Breakdown SegmentThe NLF player may break down VC regiments into their component battalions. 7. Final Recordkeeping Phase The players update their Record Sheets. Pacification Battles in Vietnam were not fought to control territory, but to control the people who lived on it. Wherever NLF forces were allowed a free hand, popular support for the NLF would slowly build. Pro-government village chiefs would be assassinated, and the local defense systems would be infiltrated. If an area could be kept free of NLF influence, it would slowly swing toward governmental control. Once the NLF gained a foothold, however, it was hard to eliminate it. Each Pacification Phase, the US player must determine the effects of the war on the Vietnamese people. This is done region by region. Most regions are individual provinces or municipalities. A few are composites of several low-population provinces. Each region has a population ranging from 4 to 15 (each point representing 50,000 people). A region's population will usually be divided between SVN and VC control (e.g., the VC and SVN might each control 3 points of a region that has a total population of 6). The Population Control Sheet should be used to record how much of each region's population is currently under SVN control. THE PACIFICATION PROCEDURE1. The US player announces SVN morale and indicates whether a column shift is necessary in the current Pacification Phase. 2. For each region in turn, in the order they are listed on the Population Control Sheet, the US player announces the region's total population, and how much of the population is currently controlled by SVN. 3. The NLF player examines the markers and units in the region on the map and announces any dice roll modifiers that are to be applied. 4. The US player rolls two dice, applies any dice roll modifications, and determines the result. 5. The US player counts off the required number of boxes, in the appropriate direction, on the Population Shift Scale to deter-mine the new SVN population control value for the region. He writes the new value in the appropriate box of the Population Control Sheet and proceeds to the next region. LOCATING REGIONS Getting to know where the regions are on the map can take a while, as the names are very confusing. To facilitate matters, the regions are numbered and re-created in outline on the southern map. The numbers are broken down by corps zone (e.g., Quang Tri is Region I-1 because it is the first region in the I Corps zone). Note that the number codes have no special significance to play; they are merely provided as an aid. MODIFICATIONS TO THE PACIFICATION DIE ROLL If a region has been declared free-fire (7.6), its pacification die roll is reduced by 2. Each province capital in a region captured by the NLF at any point during the preceding season reduces the pacification roll by 1, even if the capital is subsequently recaptured. Whenever a capital is captured, a Captured Capital marker should be placed on or near it. During the US Morale Adjustment Segment, such markers are removed from capitals no longer held by the NLF. Certain regions are composed of more than one province or municipality. The effect of captured capitals in such provinces is cumulative (e.g., if 2 capitals were captured in a region, there would be a dice modifier of -2).The most important modifier to the pacification roll is the presence of NLF-controlled units during the Pacification Phase. Each NLF unit (of whatever type or size) in a region's capital reduces the pacification roll by 2 (in addition to the modifier for capturing the capital noted above). Each town hex (other than a capital) which is occupied by any number of NLF units reduces the pacification roll by 2. Each cultivated hex which does not contain a town, city, or major city and is occupied by any number of NLF units reduces the pacification roll by 1. Each other hex containing any number of NLF units reduces the pacification roll by 1/2 (round fractions down). NOTE: For purposes of pacification, the US player decides which region NLF units on a regional border occupy, unless the hex contains a town, in which case the units are automatically considered to occupy the region containing the town. NLF units on national border hexes do not count toward pacification unless the hex they occupy contains cultivated terrain or a town. PACIFICATION RESULTSThe result of pacification is determined as follows. The column on the Pacification Table corresponding to the region's size and SVN-controlled population is found. This column is shifted one to the right or left if SVN morale (16.1) is particularly high or low (see Pacification Table). Two dice are then rolled and the modifier found above is applied. The modified dice roll is then cross-referenced with the proper column to find the pacification result.Example: In a Size 6 region, SVN controls 4 Population Points currently. No NLF units are present in the region, but the region is free-fire. A 9 is rolled which, when modified to 7, yields a result of 1. A pacification result represents a shift of control from one player to the other. Shaded results are shifts from SVN to VC control. Unshaded results are shifts from VC to SVN control. A result of "3" represents a shift of a full population point. Lesser results are recorded by adding a (+) or ( ). Example: SVN controls 4 population in a region. The region receives a pacification result of I (unshaded). The notation "4+" should be entered on the Population Control Sheet. A result of 5 (shaded) received in the next season would shift control to "3-." A scale has been placed on the Population Control Sheet to aid in the calculation of results. Find the current control status on the scale, and count off one position for each point of the result. Count toward the top of the scale for shaded results (favoring the VC) and toward the bottom of the scale for unshaded results (favoring SVN).Current control is 11-. An unshaded result of 4 leaves control at 12. Note that 12, 12-, and 12+ are all considered "12" when referring to the Pacification Table for amount of SVN-Controlled Population, and when calculating population available. Strategic Bombing Throughout most of the war, the US conducted extensive aerial bombardment campaigns against NLF infiltration routes and against North Vietnam. While the overall effectiveness of this bombing is much debated, it is generally agreed that the NLF was forced to devote considerable effort toward maintaining the infiltration routes and dispersing military targets in the North. Many military targets were in heavily populated areas near Hanoi and Haiphong, the two major cities of North Vietnam. Political factors protected these targets for much of the war; when they were finally bombed, there was a tremendous political outcry in the United States and abroad. During the Mission Declaration Segment, the US player may allocate any of his available airpower to bombing missions. Air used for bombing is not available for the following two game turns. Note that the Mission Declaration Segment comes before the Recruitment Phase in the Sequence of Play, and thus Air Points may not be used for strategic bombing on the season in which they are received. There are two possible bombing targets: the North; and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A given target may be bombed only once in a given season. The results of the missions declared by the US player are resolved in the Bombing Execution Phase. The US player chooses whether bombing against the North or the Trail is re-solved first, though he must declare what he is bombing (and with what strength) before he sees the results of any bombing. The US player is never required to launch a bombing mission; bombing is entirely voluntary. The results of strategic bombing are expressed in terms of Hits. The specific effect of hits varies depending on the target of the mission (see 14.1; 14.2). Regardless of the target, however, the Strategic Bombing Table and the following procedure are used to determine the number of hits scored by a bombing mission. At the top of the chart the US player finds the row corresponding to the target he is bombing. In this row he finds the current NVN Air Defense Rating (17.6). He then traces down the column containing the Air Defense Rating until he finds the highest number not exceeding the number of Air Points he committed to bombing that target. Tracing to the right, the US player will find a Row Number. This row number is used to determine two things. 1. A die is rolled and added to the row number. The US player then traces across the row corresponding to this total to deter-mine how many bombing hits have been scored. Trace to the Unrestrained column if engaging in unrestrained bombing (14.2) against the North, or the Restrained column if engaging in restrained bombing against the North or bombing the Trail. 2. A number of dice equal to the NVN air defense rating is now rolled, plus 1 if the US is conducting unrestricted bombing of the north. The row number is added to each die roll to find new “loss” rows. The US player traces across each of these rows to the Losses column to determine whether or not be has lost any Air Points, totaling the results for all air defense dice. Any losses sustained should be noted on the US player's Record Sheet. Example: The US player decides to use unrestrained bombing against the North. NVN Air Defense is 2. 84 Air Points are allocated. The row number is 20. The US player rolls a 4, scoring 6 hits. 3 dice are then rolled for losses (2 for the NVN air defense level +1 because the target is the North) and come up 1,2 and 5. Adding the row number of 20 to each of these rolls yields rows 21, 22, and 25, indicating that 3 Air Points are lost. Note that row totals greater than 25 are resolved on row 25. Air Point allocations in excess of the amounts needed to achieve row 25 are wasted. Interdicting Infiltration RoutesThe status of the Ho Chi Minh Trail affects movement along the trail (17.8) and the efficiency with which NVN commitment can be turned into VC supplies (17.5). The initial status of the Ho Chi Minh Trail will be defined in the instructions of scenarios to which it is relevant. At any given moment, the status of the Trail is recorded by two markers on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track. One marker records the Trail's Optimal Status. It may be advanced during the Recruitment Phase by the expenditure of NVN commitment (17.6), but only by 1 level per season and only if the trail is repaired to its optimal status beforehand. The second marker records the Effective Status of the Trail. In the US strategic missions segment after the results of bombing the Trail have been determined, the Effective Status marker is moved one box lower for each hit against the Trail. If the result on the Strategic Bombing Table was marked with an asterisk (*), the Optimal Status marker is also moved 1 box lower as well. Neither marker can ever be shifted beyond either end of the track; ignore results that would do soAt the start of each Trail Status Segment, the Effective marker moves 1 level toward the Optimal Status marker for free, but not closer to it than the number of hits the US just scored against the trail. The NLF player may spend 1 commitment to move it 1 additional box closer to its optimal status subject to the same limit.. The NLF player is never required to spend to accelerate trail repair in this fashion. Note that the Effective status of the trail never improves more than 2 boxes per season. The NLF player may only pay to improve the Optimal status of the trail if after the first “free” repair box, the Effective trail status as high as it can go given just completed US trail bombing, if any.Notice if the US inflicts 1 hit every season on the trail, it will “recover” from those effects the following season for free, and the NLF player may spend to upgrade the trail’s Optimal status if he so desires. If the US inflicts 2 hits every season on the trail, the NLF player can keep the trail effective status steady at the level 2 boxes below Optimal for 1 commitment per season but cannot improve the Optimal level of the trail. If the US inflicts 3 or more hits per season against the trail, there is no way for the NLF player to repair that damage immediately, and trail Effective status will fall progressively below its Optimal status. If that bombing stops, the trail will recover to Optimal status at 1 level per season for free or 2 levels per season for 1 NVN commitment per season.As a clarification, bombing the trail is not considered bombing the north for US or SVN morale purposes.Attacking the North As described in 17.5 and 17.6, the NLF player may allocate NVN commitment to provide supply to the VC via the Ho Chi Minh Trail (Trail Supply). The NLF player secretly designates the number of Commitment Points available for this purpose one season ahead of time. Each bombing hit scored against the North reduces the number of Commitment Points available for trail supply by 1. Example: During the Recruitment Phase of Spring 1966, the NLF player allocated 12 Commitment Points to trail supply. Three bombing hits are scored against the North in Summer of 1966. Only 9 Commitment Points will be available for trail supply that summer, although 12 NVN Commitment Points are expended (see 17.5). MORALE EFFECTSBombing against the North may be at either of two levels: Restrained or Unrestrained. The US player chooses which level of bombing he will use when he declares his bombing missions. The level chosen affects the success of bombing (unrestrained bombing is more effective). The bombing level also affects morale (16.1): each season of restrained attacks against the North reduces US morale by 1 and increases SVN morale by 2. Each season of unrestrained attacks reduces US morale by 1 plus half a die roll (round down) and increases SVN morale by 4. For clarity, bombing the trail has no effect on US or SVN morale, only bombing that directly targets NVN.South Vietnamese Politics The South Vietnamese government was highly unstable and vulnerable to coup. Factions plucked at it from all directions. The military had one idea how the country should be run, civilians another. Buddhists had their desires, and Catholics theirs. Some generals took a hard stand against the communists, while others wished for a compromise settlement. So long as the war seemed to be going well, US support remained strong, and morale was high, the government was comparatively secure. As soon as confidence began to fade, however, national government quickly became a game of musical chairs among the most powerful military leaders. Three tiers of leaders simulate the SVN political and military structure: one-star leaders command divisions; two-star leaders command corps-zones and service branches; and three-star leaders represent chief governmental figures. Lower level leaders will occasionally be replaced, both for incompetence and for political reasons. Three-star leaders are removed when their government is toppled by a coup. LeadersThe leaders available in the countermix should be sorted by number of stars into three pools, to be drawn randomly when needed. All leaders will at all times be either on the SVN Leader Display or in one of the pools, ready for use. No leader counter is ever removed permanently from play. Up to 13 one-star leaders may be in play at a time, commanding each of the 11 infantry divisions and the parachute and marine divisions. Whenever a unit is created from a division which does not yet have a leader, a one-star leader should be drawn at the end of the Recruitment Phase to command it. If at any point no units from a given ARVN division are on the map, the division's leader is returned to the pool of unused one-star leaders. Each one-star leader is always subordinate to exactly one two-star leader, either a corps commander or the Chief of Staff. There will always be exactly 7 two-star leaders in play: a I Corps commander; a II Corps commander; a III Corps commander; a IV Corps commander; a Chief of Staff; an Air Force commander; and a Navy commander. Note that there will always be a commander for a corps or service branch, even if he has nothing to command. SPHERES OF INFLUENCEUnits which are part of a division (i.e., have a division HQ, even if it is not on the map) are subordinate to their division commander. A division commander, in turn, is subordinate to the commander of the corps containing the division's HQ. Even if the units of a division are scattered in different corps zones, the placement of the HQ determines the corps level command of the division. If no HQ has been created for a division, the division commander is subordinate to the corps containing the division's units. If units from the division are in different corps zones, the NLF player chooses the superior corps from among the corps containing the division's units. If a unit or HQ from a division is on the dividing line between corps zones, the NLF player may choose which corps the unit is considered to occupy. I, II, III, and IV Corps commanders directly control non-divisional units which lie within their corps boundaries (as noted on the map). All units which lie within a corps zone and are not controlled by a division commander or the Chief of Staff are directly subordinate to that corps' commander. Corps commanders also indirectly control divisions (through their division commanders). The Chief of Staff is corps commander for the Saigon/Gia?Dinh special corps zone (see map). In addition, all independent ARVN artillery and the marine and parachute divisions (through their division commanders) are subordinate to the Chief of Staff, regardless of which corps zone they occupy. The Air Force and Navy commanders control no units. Their loyalty is relevant to coups (15.3), but they have no other game function. LEADER RATINGSOne-star and two-star leaders each have one value printed on their counter: their Effectiveness Rating (see 15.4). A second value, Loyalty, is determined whenever a new leader is drawn. Two dice are rolled and 3 added to their sum (e.g., a roll of 7 would translate to a loyalty of 10). Each possible command position for one-star and two-star leaders has a track on the SVN Leader Display. A leader's position on his track indicates that leader's current loyalty. A leader's loyalty will be modified over time by rolls on the SVN Leader Loyalty Table, and by attempts to replace him. Note that loyalty can never be less than 5, nor greater than 13. If a leader's loyalty would descend below 5 during play, treat his loyalty as 5. If it would rise above 13, it remains at 13. LOYALTY ADJUSTMENT All one-star and two-star leaders belong to one of three Factions. Each leader's counter is marked with a letter: A, B, or C, indicating the faction to which he belongs. All leaders with the same letter belong to the same faction. Each season, at the end of the SVN Morale Adjustment Segment, the US player must consult the SVN Leader Loyalty Table to determine whether the loyalties of any of his one-star and two-star leaders have changed. He finds SVN's current morale at the top of the chart, and rolls two dice. The result of the roll is given as a shift in the loyalties of all leaders in a given faction. Lower the roll by 1 on the season following an offensive (16.4).Example: SVN morale is 135. Two dice, totaling 4, are rolled. The US player looks in the rightmost column of the SVN Leader Loyalty Table, He finds the row corresponding to a roll of 4. The loyalties of all SVN leaders in Faction B are reduced by 1. Leader ReplacementLeaders are replaced during the Politics Phase. The US player must attempt to replace any leader whose loyalty is 5 or 6, and may voluntarily attempt to replace leaders with loyalties of 7 or 8. He may not attempt to replace leaders with higher loyalties. The procedure to attempt replacement of both one-star and two-star leaders is the same. The US player rolls two dice, and on a roll of 2 through 6, the leader is returned to the mix and a new leader is drawn (note that the old leader can be re-drawn). On a 7 or 8, the leader remains and his loyalty is reduced by 1. On a roll of 9 through 12, the leader remains, his loyalty is reduced by 1, and all units under his control are considered ineffective (11.1) for the entire season. If a 9 through 12 were rolled when attempting to replace a corps commander or the Chief of Staff, all divisions subordinate to the two-star leader are ineffective, as well as any units directly commanded by the corps commander. In addition, on a roll of 9 through 12, two-star leaders are automatically Pro-Coup for the ensuing coup check (15.3). No more than one attempt may be made to replace a given leader each season, and no attempt may be made to replace a replacement on the phase of his establishment. Any number of different leaders may be rolled for in a phase, however. The dice are rolled separately for each replacement attempt. The US player may see the result of one replacement attempt before deciding whether to attempt another. He may choose the order in which replacement attempts are made. CoupsAfter the US player has finished attempting to replace one-star and two-star leaders, he must check for the possibility of a coup. Certain two-star leaders may already be designated Pro-Coup by failed attempts at replacement (15.2). Two dice are rolled and the total is compared with the loyalties of each two-star leader (note that only one roll is made — not one for each leader). If the roll is below a leader's loyalty, he is considered Loyal. If the roll equals his loyalty he is Wavering. Wavering leaders are indicated by inclining the top of their counters to the left on the SVN Leader Display. If the roll is greater than his loyalty he is Pro-Coup. Pro-coup leaders are noted by inclining their counters to the right on the SVN Leader Display. After the status of each two-star leader has been checked, if there are more pro-coup leaders than loyal leaders, a coup has taken place. SVN morale is immediately lowered by 8 and US morale is lowered by 3. A new three-star leader is drawn from the pool. The current three-star leader should be placed in the pool before making the draw (thus, it is possible for the same leader to retain power following a coup). Lower the loyalties of each loyal leader by 1. If there are at least at many wavering and pro-coup leaders, together, as loyal leaders, but no coup succeeds, the SVN government is considered unstable. SVN morale drops by 3, and US morale falls by 1, and the loyalties of all one-star and two-star leaders are reduced by 1. If there are more loyal leaders than wavering and pro-coup leaders, SVN government is (relatively) stable. Lower the loyalties of pro-coup leaders, only, by 1. Coup is always checked for exactly once per season; there can never be more than one coup per season. INDUCING A COUP The US player may, at his discretion, increase the chances of a coup. To do so, he announces — before checking for coup — that he is attempting to induce a coup. He then adds two to the dice roll compared against the loyalties of two-star leaders. Should the US attempt to induce a coup and fail, SVN morale is immediately reduced by 3, in addition to any potential instability. Determining Effectiveness During the Unit Status Phase the US player must check to see which ARVN units will be Effective for the season. One die is rolled. If the roll is less than or equal to the total of a division leader's effectiveness plus his superior commander's effectiveness, that division is effective for the season. If the roll is greater than the total, the division is Ineffective. Only one roll is made (not one for each formation). Example: The 1st ARVN division HQ is in II Corps. The 1st division's commander has an effectiveness of 5. The II Corps commander has an effectiveness of –1. If a 4 or less is rolled, the division will be effective that season. If the effectiveness roll is less than or equal to a corps commander's effectiveness rating plus 3, all units under his direct command are effective. If it is greater than his effectiveness plus 3, all units under his direct command are ineffective. If a one-star or two-star leader is ineffective (either because of a botched replacement attempt or a failed effectiveness check), the leader's marker should be flipped over. If there is a coup during a season, add 2 to the effectiveness die roll that season. If there is instability, add 1. Note that rangers and regional forces (11) are always effective; no effectiveness check is made for them. The results of ineffectiveness are described in 11.1. Morale and CommitmentThe conflict in Vietnam was not a "total war," at least not for the US or for the communist states that backed North Vietnam. When the US left Vietnam, it left not because it had been militarily defeated, but because it decided that its objectives could not be obtained at acceptable cost. Morale in the United States was critical: the more support there was for the war at home, the more politically feasible it was to maintain a large commitment in Vietnam. As resistance to the war spread at home, it became harder to justify US commitment. All US involvement in South Vietnam hinges on two key indices: US morale; and US commitment. Morale represents the nation's willingness to become involved in Southeast Asia, to send troops and economic aid, to deal with internal dissent, and to sustain losses. Commitment represents the degree to which the US is already involved. So long as US morale is higher than commitment, the nation remains willing to contribute more to the war effort. But when commitment exceeds morale, the country is more deeply involved than it would like to be, and its participation in the war must be reduced. North Vietnam also has morale and commitment indices. These represent China and the USSR's willingness more than morale in Hanoi. The terms "morale" and "commitment" are used for NVN because the indices serve similar game functions as US morale and commitment. South Vietnam has a morale index, but no commitment level (South Vietnam is the conflict; it cannot choose to increase or decrease its involvement). The morale and commitment indices are recorded on the Record Sheets. Note that morale and commitment can never be pushed below zero. If they would be, they are simply put on zero and the excess modification ignored. Game Events and Morale <CC add images>Each of the three morale indices starts at the point indicated by the scenario guidelines. During the course of play, each index will be modified. A complete summary of events triggering morale changes is provided in the Morale Chart. The majority of factors affecting US morale are judged during the US Morale Adjustment Segment of the Politics Phase. During this segment, the US player should consult the Morale Chart to see which of the listed conditions are fulfilled, modifying his morale accordingly. Conditions Possibly Influencing US Morale During the Politics Phase:? South Vietnam's current three-star leader, as noted on the right side of his counter. ? The current amount of population controlled by SVN. ? The current level of US commitment affects US morale. As time drags on, continuing heavy involvement will weaken the nation's resolve to maintain its commitment.Exception: This assessment is not made if no US units were assigned to search and destroy or clear and secure operations in the previous season, regardless of current US commitment. ? If the US has become substantially more involved in the past season, US morale will suffer. If new commitment (16.3) is five or more, US morale will decline. ? If US or ARVN forces invaded Laos or Cambodia in the preceding season, or continued an invasion launched earlier, US morale will suffer (16.2). ? The number of province capitals the NLF player has captured affects morale. If 3 to 5 have been captured, morale falls by 1; if 6 to 8, morale falls by 2; if 9 to 11 have been captured, morale falls by 3; and so forth, with morale declining by 1 for every third capital captured during the preceding season. Whenever a capital in a region is captured, a marker noting this fact should be placed on the capital. The marker remains until the next Politics Phase, even if the capital is subsequently recaptured. After the morale effect of capitals captured in the preceding season has been applied, Captured Capital markers are removed where capitals have been recaptured. A city or town is considered captured if it is ever occupied by NLF forces, but no ARVN, US, or FWA forces. It is considered recaptured if it is subsequently occupied by any of those forces, but no NLF forces. ? The intensity of an NLF offensive also affects US morale. The NLF player may declare an offensive during any Offensive Declaration Segment (16.4) if US commitment is 150 or higher. Thereafter during that season each time an attack is rolled by the NLF player this fact is noted on the General Record Track using the marker provided. If 8 or more such attacks are conducted in a season US morale will be adversely affected in the following Politics Phase (see the Morale Chart). Each combat die roll by the NLF player (including bombardment and incidental attacks) counts as a separate attack, even if the same unit attacks more than once in an operation (5). ? The number of VC and NVA units which have been eliminated or dispersed in the previous season also affects US morale. US morale increases by 1 for every fifth unit eliminated or dispersed after the 25th unit. Thus, if fewer than 30 units are removed, there would be no morale benefit. If 30 to 34 units were destroyed or dispersed, US morale would rise by 1. If 35 to 39 were destroyed or dispersed, the benefit to morale would be 2, and so on. Destroyed and dispersed VC and NVA units should be kept separate from unused units and returned to the general pool only after their morale effect has been determined. Destroyed or dispersed artillery units, regiments, supply conduits, and HQ's each count as 3 units in this determination, while battalions and political sections each count as 1. VC regiments broken down into battalions are not themselves considered (though losses among the breakdown units are considered; 9). This morale bonus is lost during the season of an offensive (16.4). Several Factors Influence US Morale Immediately, Without Waiting for the Next Season's Politics Phase: ? If there is a coup in South Vietnam, or if the government is unstable (15.3), US morale falls. ? If restrained bombing is employed against the North, US morale falls by a point. If unrestrained bombing is conducted against the North, morale falls by 1 plus half a die roll (round fractions down). ? Each time a US (not FWA or ARVN) counter is removed from the map to satisfy combat losses, US morale falls by 3. Factors Affecting SVN Morale during the Politics Phase Include: ? The government's popular support in SVN, as indicated by SVN Population Available (17.3). ? US commitment relative to the season before. US new commitment is divided by 5 and rounded to the nearest whole number. SVN morale is then modified by this amount. An increase in commitment will lead to an increase in morale, while declining commitment means declining morale. Ignore modifications in excess of +10 (but retain those below -10). ? South Vietnam's three-star leader will modify SVN morale each turn by the value on the left side of the counter. ? SVN morale is affected by the capture of provincial capitals in exactly the same way as US morale (see above). Factors Affecting SVN Morale during the Course of a Season: ? Coups, governmental instability, and unsuccessful US attempts to induce a coup all affect SVN morale immediately. ? The US player may initiate any number of economic aid programs during the Recruitment Phase. He simply declares that he is sending economic aid to SVN, and declares how many programs he is backing. The first two such programs immediately improve SVN morale by a half a die roll each (round down separately). Additional programs improve morale by 1 each. These projects represent aid to SVN industry, handouts of food and shelter, the encouragement of US industry to establish markets in Vietnam, etc. The US player may not see the result of one program before announcing another; all such programs to take place in a season must be announced simultaneously. ? US strategic bombing missions against the North will improve SVN morale by 2 (if restrained) or 4 (if unrestrained).NVN Morale May Be Modified in the Following Ways During the Politics Phase: ? If US new commitment is positive, NVN morale is increased by one fifth of the new commitment. If US new commitment is negative, reduce NVN morale by a fifth of the decline.Example: US new commitment is negative 6. NVN morale declines by 1. Note that this modification is identical to the effect of new US commitment on SVN morale, except that modifications greater than +10 are retained. ? NVN morale increases on the basis of current US commitment and current NVN morale (NVN morale in effect pulls itself up by the bootstraps). Invasions <cc>The US player may wish to invade Cambodia and/or Laos at some point during the game. He may do so, though the penalties to US morale are stiff. No US-controlled units may ever enter North Vietnam under any circumstances. US INVASIONSIf US or FWA forces entered Laos or Cambodia in the previous season, a die is rolled during the Politics Phase and US morale is reduced by that amount. If both Laos and Cambodia were invaded, US morale is reduced by the sum of two dice. If a country was invaded on a previous season and US or FWA forces have remained in the country continuously since the immediately preceding season, no die is rolled and an automatic 2 morale penalty is assessed against US morale. Should all US and FWA forces withdraw from a country and subsequently re-invade, the invasion is treated as a completely new intrusion, and is penalized accordingly. ARVN INVASIONSIf a country is invaded by ARVN forces alone, a lesser penalty of half a die roll (rounded down) is assessed against US morale. Each subsequent turn that ARVN forces remain in the invaded country, one point is subtracted from US morale. Should US forces then enter the country, it is treated as though the US were launching a fresh invasion. ARVN forces may participate in a US invasion at no additional penalty, however. Example: US forces enter Cambodia, accompanied by ARVN forces. The ensuing Politics Phase US morale is reduced by a die roll. US and ARVN forces remain for the next season, and US morale falls by 2. The next season all US forces withdraw, but ARVN forces remain. US morale is penalized by 1. US troops are reintroduced in the next season, and US morale falls by a die roll once more. DEFINITION OF "INVASION"A country is defined as having been invaded if US, FWA, or ARVN forces enter any non-disputed hex within that country's national boundaries. SVN border hexes may be entered without penalty, as may disputed hexes. A hex is considered in dispute if it is adjacent to a hex containing a disputed border (see Terrain Key). An invasion is considered to have taken place even if all invading forces move out or are destroyed during the turn of invasion. The US may contribute airpower and artillery (from behind SVN borders) to ARVN invasions without invading itself. Hexes beyond the border may be interdicted without violating a country's neutrality. Reinforcements and CommitmentAnything that increases the human and physical resources devoted to the conflict will increase commitment. Sending a division, augmenting airmobile capacity, or providing economic aid will all increase a nation's commitment. Each unit, point, or quantity of economic aid which the US or North Vietnam contributes to the war increases that nation's commitment level. If forces are withdrawn, commitment declines. The exact amount by which any influx or outflow of resources affects commitment is to be found in the Unit Chart. NEW COMMITMENTWhenever a nation's commitment is increased (usually by taking reinforcements; 17), the player controlling that nation should make a note of the increase on his Record Sheet. Such an increase is called New Commitment. New commitment affects morale (16.1). It is possible for new commitment to be negative; if a player has been withdrawing a nation's forces, commitment will be recovered. Each point recovered is subtracted from new commitment. New commitment occurs only during the seasonal Interphase and all reinforcements must be taken or withdrawals completed at that time. Example: US commitment is 75 at the start of the fall, 1965 interphase. The US decides on +14 new commitment and brings on reinforcements totaling 15 commitment, and withdraws a battalion, thereby recovering 1 commitment. New commitment would be 14. US commitment for the season increases to 89. Both that new commitment total and that final commitment level are used to determine morale effects on US, SVN, and NVN morale.OffensivesIf US commitment is greater than or equal to 150 during the Offensive Declaration Segment of any Recruitment Phase, the NLF player may declare an offensive. An offensive may not be declared if US commitment is less than 150. The US player must be told immediately when an offensive is declared. IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF AN OFFENSIVETo declare an offensive, the NLF player must expend 10 NVN commitment points. Immediately upon the declaration of an offensive, the NLF player may place 1 new, unaugmented NVA regiment in any hex on the map not occupied by an enemy unit. He may also place up to 4 political sections in any hexes not occupied by an enemy unit. MORALE EFFECTSDuring the season of an offensive, two changes are made to the normal morale rules (16.1): the US player receives no morale benefit for NLF casualties; and US morale is penalized if the total number of NLF attacks that season exceed a certain amount (16.1 and the Morale Chart). These effects last through the end of the season in which the offensive was declared. The season following an offensive, the dice roll on the SVN Leader Loyalty Table is reduced by 1. ReinforcementsA wide variety of options and trade-offs existed for the combatants in Vietnam. US planners had to decide how much emphasis to place on ground forces, how much on strategic bombing, and how much on support for South Vietnam. They also had to decide how fast to build up, and at what level US forces should be maintained. NLF planners had to choose the best way to deal with expanding US presence. The armies of five different groups are represented in Vietnam: the United States; South Vietnam; the Viet-Cong; North Vietnam; and the Free World Allies (Korea, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines). The method by which each of these groups' armies are introduced is different. Once placed, reinforcements are treated exactly as any other units. They function normally on the season they are placed. Reinforcements may be received only in those groupings provided on the Unit Chart. Example: The US may receive Airmobile Points only in groups of 2. LIMIT ON COUNTERMIXOne restriction that applies to all the armies, however, is that no units may be added to the countermix. The counters provided with the game are an absolute limit on the numbers and type of units which may be brought into play. Note that this restriction does not apply to markers; the players may supplement the countermix's supply of Interdiction, Operations Complete, Captured Capital, Holding, and Patrol markers with counters of their own devising. Units may be rebuilt after they have been destroyed. SECRECY OF REINFORCEMENTSThe NLF player must be informed of the exact composition of any US, ARVN, and FWA forces taken as reinforcements. The reverse is not true, however. The NLF player decides what reinforcements the VC and NVA will receive. VC units are placed face-down (see 10). The NLF player may ask the US player to leave the room while he places new units. US ReinforcementsThe US player has complete control over his reinforcements. He decides what types of reinforcements he will receive, how many there are, and when they will arrive, but they must appear at an eligible controlled Port in SVN, and only arrive during the recruitment segment of the seasonal interphase. The only other factors limiting him are the countermix, US morale, and the potentially damaging effects of an over-rapid build-up. The US player may take any amount of reinforcements in a season so long as the appropriate amount is added to his commitment level for everything that he takes, and so long as his total commitment level does not rise above his morale. Reinforcements may not be taken if the corresponding rise in commitment would push commitment above morale. If commitment begins at or above morale, no new reinforcements may be taken until commitment is reduced through withdrawal (17.7). GROUND FORCESUS reinforcements of all types arrive during the Recruitment Phase. All forms of reinforcements which the US may receive are listed on the Unit Chart. To receive a formation the US player increases his commitment level by the amount listed on the Unit Chart and places the formation in Saigon (2863), Da Nang (4411), Cam Rahn (5652), Hue (3708), Qui Nhon (5633), Nha Trang (5549), Vung Tau (3368), Chu Lai (5118), or My Tho (2467). Each of these is noted with a port symbol on the map. Different units within a given formation may arrive at different ports, at the US player's discretion. Units may not arrive at a port which has been captured by the NLF and has not since been recaptured. Units may arrive in the Zone of Control of enemy units without inducing a reaction move (5.3). US HQ's US brigade-level HQ's appear without commitment cost if all battalions subordinate to that HQ are taken simultaneously as reinforcements. If a divisional HQ is taken as a reinforcement, all units directly attached to the HQ (usually including armored cavalry and occasionally an armored or artillery battalion) appear at no additional cost. If these units are later destroyed, they may not be rebuilt unless their HQ is still on the map. A division HQ (and its complement of directly attached units) is received without commitment cost if the entire division under it is brought on in the same phase. US HQs may not be taken without all their maneuver elements.Example: The nine battalions of the 4th division are brought on at once (at a cost of 9 Commitment Points). Since all their component battalions are being brought on, the three brigade HQ's appear for free. The 4th division HQ and its armored unit and armored cavalry squadron may also appear at no additional cost, since all units subordinate to the division are brought in at the same time. Note that this applies only to US HQ's; VC, NVA, and ARVN HQ's must be produced at indicated cost, and no free units accompany them. SUPPORT In addition to ground combat units, the US player may receive a variety of different points as support. The receipt of Air, Air-mobile, Naval, Riverine, and Replacement Points should be noted by advancing the appropriate marker. The US player may also commit up to 3 cruisers and 1 battleship (the New Jersey) to Vietnam. The US player may also choose to provide SVN with military aid. Each Commitment Point he expends adds 7 to SVN's supply poolTHE McNAMARA LINEFrustrated by the ease with which NLF forces traversed the SVN border, Pentagon planners considered the erection of a huge barrier of physical obstructions and devices for electronic surveillance. One plan called for a barrier along the entire length of the border, while another merely wished to block the border between SVN and NVN. Though neither version of the barrier (dubbed "the McNamara Line") was ever actually constructed, the US player has the option of implementing either plan, at the costs indicated on the Unit Chart. If the shorter barrier is built, the US player may later build the complete barrier at a cost of 130 additional commitment. The construction of the McNamara Line has two effects: 1. The Movement Point cost for NLF forces to enter all affected SVN border hexes is increased by 1 (cumulative with the effects of SVN rangers; see 11). 2. If any NLF units enter an affected border hex during an NLF operation, the US player must be given the option of conducting the next operation. Free World AlliesAfter all US and ARVN reinforcements have been taken, the US player must check for the arrival or departure of allied forces. He need not take allied reinforcements, or may choose to take only selected units. All indicated withdrawals of allied forces must be made, however. Reinforcements the US player does not choose to receive may be taken on any following season (no additional die roll is necessary in the case of Thai and Korean forces; any indicated reinforcements are considered "earmarked" for Vietnam and available on call). FWA reinforcements may be received in any of the ports noted in 17.1. Australian, New Zealand, and Philippine reinforcements are free; no US commitment is expended to receive them. For each Korean or Thai regiment the US player chooses to receive, one US Commitment Point must be expended, however. This commitment is not recovered when the regiment is withdrawn. Korean and Thai HQ's are received free when they become available. KOREA Once each Recruitment Phase, if the current US commitment level is 50 or greater, the US player may roll to receive any Korean units not yet received. Each element of the Capital division arrives on a roll of 1 through 4. An "element" is defined as an entire regiment or the division HQ. Thus, 4 rolls would be made for the division if none of its elements were yet available. The division HQ automatically appears if all three regiments are available or on-map, even if all die rolls have failed for the HQ itself. The 9th division appears (entire) on a roll of 1. The 2nd Marine brigade arrives on a roll of 1 or 2. THAILANDOnce US commitment is 200 or greater, the US player may begin to roll for Thai reinforcements. Thai reinforcements arrive in four stages. If one stage appears, the next stage may immediately be rolled for. If the roll fails, the next stage may not be rolled for. Each stage requires a roll of 1 or 2.Example: The US player rolls a I. The first stage appears. He roils again immediately, and gets a 2. The second stage appears during the same phase. He rolls again and gets a 4. No further stages appear, and no further rolls are made that phase. The first stage of Thai reinforcements is the Queen's Cobra regiment. The second stage is the 1st brigade, Royal Thai Army (RTA). When this stage becomes available, the Queen's Cobra regiment must be withdrawn immediately. The third stage is the 2nd brigade, RTA, and the RTA division HQ. The fourth stage is the 3rd brigade RTA. AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, PHILIPPINES All Australian units, the ANZAC (Australia-New Zealand Army Corps) unit and the Philippine unit arrive when US commitment is 160 or greater. No die is rolled for these forces. WITHDRAWALS All FWA forces must be withdrawn if US commitment is above 80 and there is no US division HQ on the map at the end of a Recruitment Phase. No FWA forces may be reintroduced after this withdrawal has been triggered. Note that no FWA forces will ever be introduced if no US division HQ is on the map at the end of the first Recruitment Phase that US commitment rises above 80 since "withdrawal" will immediately be triggered. ELIMINATED FWA UNITSFWA units may never be reintroduced once destroyed; they are replaced in the counter tray and may not reappear. Population and Draft LevelsEach region (usually an individual province) of SVN has a population value (roughly one point for every 50,000 inhabitants, averaged out for population shifts during the conflict). The total population of SVN is 360 Population Points, or about 17.5 million people. At any given moment, control of a region's population will be divided between SVN and VC control. The total population controlled by a side is that side's Population Available. Important Note: Add 70 to SVN's total to account for the population in Saigon, Gia Dinh, and Da Nang, which were major population centers firmly under SVN control. This value determines the personnel available for that side's armed forces. The amount of population each side controls at the start of the campaign games listed in 18. This amount changes only as a result of the pacification effort (13). The amount of population controlled by the VC can always be determined by subtracting the amount of population currently controlled by SVN from 360. The amount of population currently under arms is recorded by the Draft Level. Once the SVN draft level reaches controlled SVN population, all ARVN costs for both supply and personnel are doubled. The US player may never cause the SVN draft level to exceed 150% of the SVN controlled population. NORTHERN RECRUITS FOR THE VC The VC draft level can exceed VC population available. If the VC draft level is greater than current population available, the draft level may be increased only by the expenditure of NVN commitment. Depending on the effects of US bombing against the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the ratio of VC draft to population, the draft level may be raised by up to 4 for each NVN Commitment Point expended (14.1; 17.5). ARVN RecruitingTwo components are necessary to the formation of most ARVN units: population subject to the draft; and military supplies. Population subject to draft is made available by controlling population (see 17.3). Military supplies must be provided by the US if ARVN units and replacements are to be built (17.1). SUPPLIES The US player may augment SVN's supply pool by expending his own commitment. SVN's supply pool is increased by 7 for each Commitment Point expended. Supplies need not be used on the season received; they may be saved for later use. Note that supplies are not used to maintain units, only to build them. ARVN UNITS AND SUPPORTTo create an ARVN unit, the US player consults the Unit Chart, and increases the SVN draft level by the amount indicated. SVN's supply pool is lowered by the appropriate amount. A unit may be produced at normal costs only if enough supply is available and if SVN's draft level would not exceed its population available. Once the SVN draft level exceeds controlled SVN population, all ARVN unit costs in both supply and personnel terms are doubled. The US player may not use any ARVN personnel past 150% of SVN controlled population under any circumstances. Newly created ARVN units may be placed in any of the cities noted in 17.1. SVN ranger units are not placed on the map when built; instead they are kept off-map in the box reserved for them. There are no ARVN Air or Airmobile Points; the only type of point that may be produced for the ARVN is replacements. UPGRADING THE ARVN Many ARVN units have alternate sets of values printed on the front and rear of their counters. Two supply costs are listed for such units on the Unit Chart. One set of values are the costs for the front face characteristics. A supply cost is also given to convert the unit to its rear-face (superior) values, if and when the US player chooses to do so. Such a conversion may take place only during a Recruitment Phase. Conversion takes place immediately upon the expenditure of the indicated supplies, regardless of where a unit may be. Note that upgrade costs are also doubled once ARVN draft exceeds ARVN controlled population.Example: An augmented (full-strength) ARVN regiment costs 1 Personnel Point and 5 Supply Points. VC Mobilization The NLF player may produce units and points for the VC during the Recruitment Phase. VC production is accomplished by expending supplies and increasing the VC draft level in the proportions specified by the Unit Chart, and then placing the unit on the map or points in the proper pool. Nothing may be produced unless sufficient population and supplies are available to pay the cost indicated on the Unit Chart. POPULATION VC population comes from two sources: the control of population in SVN (as described in 17.3); and infiltration from the North. The availability and use of population are recorded by two values on the NLF Record Sheet: population available; and draft level. Population available records all population controlled by the VC in the regions of SVN. The draft level represents the amount of population currently involved in the VC military. Whenever VC production takes place, the VC draft level is increased. Population available is never changed as a result of production.So long as the draft level is less than the amount of population available, population used for VC production is noted simply by increasing the VC draft level; nothing more need be done. If the draft level is equal to or greater than population available, additional production may take place only if recruits are infiltrated from NVN by the expenditure of NVN commitment. The number of population points that may be expended for each NVN Commitment Point allocated depends on the effective status of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (14.1; 17.6), as recorded on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track (but see Depletion of VC Recruits, following).Example: The Trail's status is box 3; the VC draft level may be increased by 4 for each NVN Commitment Point the NLF player allocates to recruits. Though the NLF player is never forced to allocate commitment to recruits, after a certain point in the game he will have to do so if he wishes to maintain the VC as a viable force. The VC draft level is still raised when VC production takes place, even if all population used is Northern recruits. Note that recruits from the North cannot be accumulated; the expenditure of NVA commitment on recruits merely allows the VC draft level to be raised after it has exceeded VC population available. Unused recruits are lost. Example: The Ho Chi Minh Trail's effective status is box 2. One NVN Commitment Point is expended on recruits. The VC draft level may be increased by up to 3. If the NLF player were to build 1 VC battalion, and nothing more, the VC draft level would rise by 1. New commitment would have to be allocated to raise the draft level on future turns. DEPLETION OF VC RECRUITS If the VC draft level is more than 200% of the VC population available at the start of the Recruitment Phase, reduce the ratio at which NVA commitment is transformed to population by 1. If the draft level is more than 300% of the VC population, reduce the ratio by 2. If the draft level is more than 400% of the VC population, reduce the ratio by 3 to a minimum of 1.Example: VC population available is 100. The VC draft level is 301. The effective status of the Ho Chi Minh Trail is box 3, which shows a normal recruits per commitment of 4. Since the VC draft level is more than 3 times VC population, the VC draft level may be increased only by 2 for each NVN Commitment Point (instead of the 4 indicated on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track). If the VC draft level were at 401, only 1 unit of population could be expended for each NVN Commitment Point. SUPPLIES Supplies are available to the VC from 3 sources: by sea (Sea Supply); transported along the Ho Chi Minh Trail (Trail Supply); and a supply pool, containing all unused supply accumulated in previous seasons. As part of each Recruitment Phase, the NLF player must secretly record the amount of NVN commitment to be expended in the following season on sea supply and trail supply.Example: TS: 8. SS: 3.His allocation is not expended immediately; instead it is expended at the start of the following season's Recruitment Phase. The NLF player may not voluntarily expend more or less on supplies than his previous season's declaration. Should insufficient NVN commitment be available to cover an allocation, as much of the declaration as possible is fulfilled, with priority to sea supply (note that this will leave the NLF player with 0 commitment available for the purposes of the NVA). Example: If the NLF's declaration during the Recruitment Phase of spring 1966 was "TS: 8; SS: 3," and the NLF player discovered during the Recruitment Phase of summer 1966 that the difference between NVN morale and commitment was only 9, 3 commitment would be expended on sea supply and 6 on trail supply. Should the NLF player forget to make a declaration one season, assume that 5 supply had been allocated to trail supply and 2 to sea supply.TRAIL SUPPLY The amount of trail supply available is calculated by multiplying the amount of NVN commitment allocated to trail supply (after the effects of strategic bombing have been taken into account; 14.2) by the multiplier indicated by the effective status of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (14.1).Example: Eight NVN commitment is allocated to trail supply. Three bombing hits are scored against the North, reducing this to 5 (14,2). If the effective status of the trail were box 3 (multiplier: 8), 40 trail supply would be available (5x8). The US player is never informed of NLF commitment to trail supply; the NLF player makes all calculations secretly. SEA SUPPLY The amount of sea supply available is determined by the amount of NVN commitment allocated and by the effectiveness of the US naval blockade. The following procedure is used. The NLF player reveals the number of Commitment Points he allocated to sea supply. This amount is found in the left column of the Blockade Chart. Directly to the right of it there is an index number. The US player then rolls 1 die for each Naval Point available, subtracting the sum of the dice from the index found above. The largest index not exceeding this modified total is then found. The amount of sea supply that was successfully run through the blockade is listed directly to the right of this index.Example: The allocation for sea supply is 2. The corresponding index is 54. If the US had 3 Naval Points, the US player would roll three dice. A total of 11 for the dice would give a modified index of 43 (54-11=43), indicating that 9 sea supply were available. SUPPLY POOL A third source of supply for the VC is the VC supply pool. Any sea or trail supply available but unused at the end of a Recruitment Phase is placed in the supply pool at a one-for-one rate. RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXPENDITURE OF SUPPLYSupply may not be expended if it is not available. Even when supply is available, certain restrictions apply. Sea supply may be used anywhere on the map, but if it is used to build a unit in a hex more than 5 hexes from an all-sea hex (counting the hex of placement, but not the all-sea hex itself) it is used at a two-for-one ratio (e.g., a VC battalion built more than 5 hexes from an all-sea hex using sea supply would cost 4 supply — double the amount indicated on the Unit Chart).Similarly, trail supply used to build units more than 8 hexes from an SVN border hex (counting the hex of placement, but not the border hex itself) would cost double. Note that VC Replacement Points always cost the amount indicated on the Unit Chart; type of supply is irrelevant. Supply from the supply pool is always expended at full value, regardless of hex of placement. Since some hexes are both more than 8 hexes from the border, and more than 5 hexes from the sea, the supply pool is the only efficient way to construct VC in some areas. REGIONAL MAXIMUMSA further restriction on the expenditure of VC supply is that no more than 2 or the amount of population controlled in a region (whichever is greater) may be expended on supply in a region in a given Recruitment Phase. Example: Three population in Quang Nam are controlled by the VC. No more than 3 supply may be expended in Quang Nam during a Recruitment Phase. Exception: Supply Conduits; see below. SUPPLY CONDUITSThe NLF player may build VC supply conduits. Supply conduits are immobile. They may not take alert or reaction movement. They have a Combat Strength of 0. If attacked (including by bombardment), they are automatically destroyed unless stacked with another friendly unit. The attacker suffers no casualties from such an attack, and receives a combat pursuit bonus of +4. Supply conduits have ZOC's. If a supply conduit is attacked while stacked with a friendly unit, it is unaffected unless all friendly units are destroyed or retreat from the hex, in which case it is destroyed. A supply conduit doubles the amount of supply that may be expended in the region in which it is placed. Note that supply conduits double capacity, not supply itself. There is no additional benefit for having more than one supply conduit in a region. A supply conduit doubles capacity in the Recruitment Phase in which it is placed, and its formation does not count toward and is not restricted by regional maximums itself.Example: Two population is controlled by the VC in a region. A supply conduit in the region increases the capacity to 4. If a supply conduit is placed on a border between regions, in a given season it will double the capacity of the region with the least VC-controlled population, and does not affect the other region(s). If two or more regions have equal VC-controlled population, the NLF player may choose which region's capacity is doubled. PLACING VC UNITSOnce the cost indicated on the Unit Chart has been paid, the NLF player may place a new unit face-down in any hex (anywhere on the map) that does not contain an enemy unit. VC units may also be placed anywhere on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Units may be placed adjacent to enemy units without initiating reaction (5.3). VC BATTALIONSThe characteristics of VC battalions vary. When the NLF player creates a VC battalion, he draws it at random from his unused and previously destroyed units. He then places the unit before seeing its values. Once placed, the unit may be examined before other production decisions are made. VC REGIMENTSVC regiments are built during the Recruitment Phase by expending the personnel and supplies listed on the Unit Chart and also removing 3 battalions from the map. All the battalions must come from the same hex and the regiment must be placed in the hex. The battalions may have been created in the current phase. They may be of any strength. DEPLOYMENT OF POLITICAL SECTIONSThe NLF player may place up to 4 political sections anywhere on the map or Trail each Recruitment Phase at no cost. Sections not taken one season do not accumulate from season to season. The NVAThe NLF player may create NVA units and points in much the same way as the US player creates his. Each type of unit (and group of points) has a commitment cost, which is added to the NVN commitment level. A unit may not be created if NVN's commitment level would then exceed its morale. NVN regiments have two different sets of values and may be upgraded in the same manner as ARVN units. The NLF may send recruits to join the VC. All newly created NVA units are placed in the northern-most box of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. AIR DEFENSE The starting level of NVN air defense is defined in all scenarios to which it is relevant. The NLF player may upgrade it during the Recruitment Phase by expending NVN commitment. Upgrading air defense from 0 to 1 costs 3 commitment. Upgrading from 1 to 2 costs 4 commitment. Upgrading from 2 to 3 costs 5 commitment. NVN air defense cannot be upgraded beyond 3. There is only one air defense level, used for both the North and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Air defense never deteriorates, and may not be withdrawn. The Air Defense Rating may be increased by no more than 1 in a given season. The full effects of air defense are discussed under strategic bombing.THE TRAILThe optimal status (14.1) of the Ho Chi Minh Trail may be upgraded during the Recruitment Phase by the expenditure of NVN commitment, but only if after free trail repair the trail Effective status is as high as it can get given the number of hits scored by US bombing of the trail this season, and only by 1 box per season maximum. The cost to upgrade from any given box to the box below is listed on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track itself (the cost varies from 2 to 6). Whenever the trail effective status is lower than Optimal by more than the number of bombing hits this season (which will occur when there were bombing hits in a previous season), the trail Effective status improves by 1 box toward Optimal each season for free. If the trail Effective status is still below its maximum level given the bombing hits this season, the NLF player may improve it toward Optimal by 1 additional box for a cost of 1 commitment. This second improvement of Effective toward Optimal is voluntary and occurs only if the NLF player pays the 1 commitment cost for this trail repair. The NLF player may never improve the Optimal status of the trail in the same season as this additional trail repair. Trail repair may never move the Effective status box closer to the Optimal box than the number of hits the US player just scored against the trail in the current season’s Strategic Missions segment. Note that seasons in which the US scores a single hit against the trail will see the trail operate with reduced effectiveness, but that damage will repair itself for free in the following season. Seasons in which the US scores 2 hits against the trail will see it operate at further reduced effectiveness and the NLF player will not be able to upgrade the trail while this is happening, but for the expenditure of 1 commitment per season he can keep the Effective status in the same position relative to the existing trail Optimum status. When the US inflicts 3 hits or more against the trail, however, there is no way for the NLF player to immediately repair the damage to the trail, and its effective level will fall progressively farther from its Optimal level if such bombing continues. The lowest trail box will still always allow 6 VC supply and 3 VC recruit per NVN commitment, however, and the NLF player may resort to Sea Supply as an alternate means of funding new VC units. He may also resort to improving Air Defense to make such bombing more expensive for the US player. If such bombing later halts, the trail will repair toward Optimal status by 1 level per season for free, and by 2 levels per season if the NLF player spends 1 NVN commitment per season to accelerate its repair.Note that the Ho Chi Minh Trail Track is not the same thing as the Ho Chi Minh Trail itself; the Track is used to record the status of the Trail for movement and supply purposes (17.5; 17.8), whereas units are actually placed on the Trail and may move along it. WithdrawalUS, FWA, and NVA units are subject to forced withdrawals. Both players may also withdraw units voluntarily to conserve resources. All types of withdrawal occur only during the Recruitment Phase. All of a player's withdrawals must be conducted before he begins the formation of new units. Units that are withdrawn are simply removed from the map. They need not move or have transportation. The withdrawal of points (air, replacement, etc.) should be noted on the Record Sheets. Each unit or group of units withdrawn by the US or NVA decreases commitment by the amount indicated on the Unit Chart. Note that the US player gets a reduction in commitment for the withdrawal of HQ's and other units that arrived at no cost (17.1).The US and NVN are forced to withdraw units or points if their current commitment is higher than morale. Sufficient units or points must be withdrawn so that commitment is at or below morale. Conditions requiring FWA withdrawal are listed in 17.2.If all of a force's ground combat units (including artillery) have been withdrawn and commitment still exceeds morale, nothing else need be withdrawn; no remaining points need be removed.VC and ARVN units and groups of points withdrawn reduce the appropriate draft level by the amount indicated on the Unit Chart. There is no reimbursement of supplies. VC and ARVN units are never forced to withdraw. US HQs must be withdrawn as soon as any of their component maneuver units are, and they return no commitment to the US player since none was spent to bring them in. Divisional battalion units similarly must be withdrawn as soon as any element of the division has been withdrawn, again for no regained commitment. US units in the destroyed unit box have no effect on withdrawals; they are considered present in SVN for these purposes.FINAL WITHDRAWAL During any Recruitment Phase the US player may declare Final Withdrawal. All US and FWA units must be withdrawn (Air, Airmobile, Naval, and Amphibious Points may remain). US commitment is reduced by the normal amount for the withdrawn force. US morale then rises by 10 points and NVN morale falls by 20 points. Final withdrawal may be announced only once; after final withdrawal, no new US units or support may be sent to SVN. US commitment thereafter may be spent only on SVN supplies and economic aid. RESTRICTIONS ON WITHDRAWAL Points and units acquired in groups (e.g., US 105mm artillery) may be withdrawn only in the groups indicated on the chart. Except for HQ's, there is no limit to the number of times that a unit may be withdrawn and returned to play. Once an HQ has been withdrawn, it may never be reintroduced. A unit may not be taken as a reinforcement in the phase it is withdrawn, nor may it be withdrawn on the phase that it is taken.NVN air defense and Trail construction may not be withdrawn, nor may donations of supplies or recruits, ARVN rangers, or the McNamara Line. InfiltrationAn NLF unit which begins an Infiltration Segment in a box of the Ho Chi Minh Trail has two options. It may move along the trail (in which case it may not enter the hexgrid during the current season), or it may enter the hexgrid. The Movement Point Allowance of NLF units moving along the trail are determined by the "effective status" of the Trail. The trail box corresponding to the Trail's effective status is located; the movement multiplier in that box is applied to the Movement Point Allowance of the NLF units using the Trail. Example: An NLF unit with a printed Movement Point Allowance of 7 would have a trail Movement Point Allowance of 19 (7x3-2) if the movement multiplier "x3-2" were in effect.Each box in the trail has a Movement Point cost of 1. Movement must be through contiguous boxes. A unit may move in either direction along the trail.LEAVING THE TRAIL An NLF unit which begins an Infiltration Segment in a trail box and does not move along the trail may be placed in the hexgrid at the end of the Segment. The NLF player simply places it in any hex adjacent to the trail box occupied by the unit. The unit remains fully eligible for operations. Units may not be placed in an enemy-occupied hex. They may be placed adjacent to enemy units (allowing reaction; 5.3). ENTERING THE TRAILNewly built NVA units are placed in the northernmost box of the trail (17.6). VC units may be built in any trail box (17.5). Units that begin the Infiltration segment on the map may enter the trail by normal movement during the Infiltration segment at the cost of 1 MP for their first trail box and may then move along the trail for 1 additional MP per box. They must end their move on the trail, and are Ops Complete for the coming turn in this case. NVA and VC units already on the map may also enter the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Operations Phase. Alert, reaction, retreat, and pursuit movement may all be used to enter the trail. Units enter a box from an adjacent hex at a cost of 1 Movement Point but must halt in the first trail box entered when they enter the trail during the operations phase. They may not leave the trail until the next season's Infiltration Segment. Strategic movement may not be employed to enter or move along the trail. BLOCKING THE TRAILUS, FWA, and ARVN units may enter the Ho Chi Minh Trail (though to do so necessitates an invasion of Laos or Cambodia). Such units enter a box during an Operations Phase in the same manner as NLF units, paying 1 Movement Point to enter. UScontrolled units that begin an Operations Phase in a trail box may remain, move to an adjacent box, or leave the trail (using their printed Movement Point Allowance), paying normal entry costs for hexes adjacent to their box. They may then continue moving as normal. They are ineligible for other operations that turn. The hex they enter on may contain enemy units, within the normal restrictions on entering or moving through enemyoccupied hexes (3.2). US-controlled units may not move during the Infiltration Segment. If any trail box in Laos or Cambodia is occupied by US-controlled units at the start of the Recruitment Phase (12), reduce the effective status of the Ho?Chi Minh Trail by 1 (14.1 and 17.5); if at least one box in each of Laos and Cambodia is occupied by US-controlled units, reduce the trail's effective status by 2. COMBAT ON THE TRAILVC and NVA units pay 5 extra Movement Points to leave a trail box containing enemy units. They may enter it with no special restrictions (i.e., at a cost of only 1 Movement Point). US movement along the trail is not affected by enemy units. UScontrolled units may not attack enemy units on the trail; NLF units may (but are not required to). Such attacks occur at the beginning of the Infiltration Segment. Any NLF units that do attack may not then move or attack for the entire season in progress. Trail boxes are considered Jungle terrain (-1 combat DRM) for combat purposes. All retreats and pursuits are ignored for such attacks; only casualties are considered (5.5). Combat takes place for only one round with one die roll, with all units on either side being factored into the combat ratio. No units may voluntarily be withheld (unless the NLF player declines the combat altogether). Airpower may also be committed by the US player. No naval units or artillery outside the affected box may participate, however. VIETNAM RULES. PAGE 38 18 Scenarios The situations presented in the scenarios have been selected to present examples of operations in a variety of sections of Vietnam at various stages of the war. -Operation Starlite" is an introductory scenario; it is recommended that the players- play it several times before attempting any of the larger scenarios. In most of the scenarios, the players will find that the US forces romp across the map, clearing it of NLF forces, or forcing them to flee. Clearing the map is not necessarily a victory, however, if US forces sustain heavy losses in the process, There are two basic types of scenario: campaign scenarios; and non-campaign scenarios. Campaign scenarios use the entire body of rules. Seasonal interphases are interposed at the start of each season. Campaign games take a long time to play. Non-campaign scenarios are shorter; most are playable in an evening. Only rules sections 2 through 11 apply. Game-turns are played without breaking for seasonal interphases. 18.1 Non-Campaign Scenarios The following rules apply to all of the scenarios in this section (although each of the scenarios has additional rules and modifications of its own). 1. The scenario instructions will sometimes designate a limited area of the map as the PLAY AREA. No units may be deployed outside this area, though they may set up on its boundary. Units may move, retreat, or pursue out of this area, but they may not re-enter it later in the scenario; they are not considered destroyed for victory purposes. Note that a unit must leave the play area to leave a scenario, not just enter a boundary hex. Z. The instructions to each scenario will list the starting forces available to each side and (in some scenarios) reinforcements. Unless otherwise specified, ARVN and NVA units are unaugmented, and US-controlled forces are in deployment 2 (see 9). US-controlled forces are always deployed before NLF-controlled forces. VC battalions are drawn randomly and placed before the NLF player sees their values. 3. Certain scenario instructions will indicate that a player receives reinforcements. These instructions will indicate what units or points are received, when they are to be taken, and where they are placed. Some reinforcements are simply placed in a named hex before the turn begins; if a hex that such reinforcements were to be placed in is enemy-occupied when the reinforcements are to be taken, the reinforcements may not be taken, ever. Sometimes a scenario will indicate that reinforcements will move into the play area. Such reinforcements are placed in any hex or combination of hexes adjacent to the play area before the start of the turn. They may not attack or be attacked while out-side the play area. The player controlling the reinforcements may assign some or all of them to any friendly operations in the nor-mal course of the turn. They may then move onto the play area, and function normally thereafter. They may not move through hexes outside the play area before entering. They may move into or through an enemy-occupied hex (within the provisions of 3.1; 3.2). Any reinforcements that have not moved onto the play area by the end of the turn they were scheduled to arrive may not be taken in later turns. 4. Free-fire zones declared during any turn of a scenario last for the entire scenario. 5. The Ho Chi Minh Trail may not be entered or moved along in these scenarios. 6. Certain scenarios will require the US player to check the effectiveness of his ARVN formations. Formation effectiveness is checked after all reinforcements have been placed, but before the turn begins. 7. At the end of the last turn of a scenario, victory is determined by adding up the number of VICTORY POINTS each player has ac-quired, and subtracting the US total from the NLF total. The scenario instructions will then indicate who has won, and by how much. Victory Points are acquired in the following ways: For the NLF: 5 for each friendly unit (to a maximum of 5 units per hex) in a city or major city at the end of the scenario. 2 for each friendly unit (to a maximum of 5 units per hex) in a capital at the end of the scenario. 2 for each other town occupied at the end of the scenario. 1 for each other cultivated hex in SVN that is occupied at the end of the scenario. 1/2 for each other hex in SVN occupied by the NLF at the end of the scenario. Note that the Victory Points for the preceding are mutually exclusive: only one type of award can be given for any one hex. EXAMPLE: 2 VC occupy a capital in a cultivated hex for a total Victory Point award of 4 (2 each for units in a capital). There is no additional award because of the cultivated terrain. National Border hexes are not considered to be in SVN for purposes of the 1/2-point award for occupation of "other hexes in SVN" as listed above. 3 for each capital entered at any point during the scenario. 10 for each major city entered at any point during the scenario. 2 for each free-fire zone declared by the US player. 10 each if Laos and/or Cambodia is invaded in the course of the scenario. 10 for each US counter eliminated. 1 for each US Replacement Point expended. 1 for each US Air or Airmobile Point lost. 1/4 for each ARVN Replacement Point expended. The NLF also receives one Victory Point for each ground and artillery Strength Point of any ARVN or FWA units eliminated. For the US: 1 for each VC battalion or political section that is eliminated or dispersed. 3 for each other VC counter that is eliminated, dispersed, or broken down. 4 for each NVA counter removed (any type). 1/4 for each NVA Replacement Point expended. Certain scenarios will supersede or add to these Victory Point awards. OPERATION STARLITE This is an introductory scenario, suitable for solitaire play. It simulates the first major US operation of the war. The scenario begins and ends with the first turn of summer 1965; it is one turn long. Quang Ngai (in I Corps zone) is the entire play area. US?Controlled Forces 3/3/3M, 2/4/3M, and a US 155mm artillery in 5118; 3/7/1M and 7/1M HQ in 5220. 3/3 tt 3.r13E12 3 0 8 2/4 II 3M +3 3 0 8 2/12 ii Ell 076 3/7 1M +3 3 0 8 14.1 7 1h1 0 8 6 kti CEI Support available to the US includes 4 US Replacement Points, I Airmobile Point, 4 Air Points, and a cruiser.c18QA:Holding and 0 zero ground strength. A holding 0 zero ground strength unit is worth 1 in combat. Holding = 0*2 = 1. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download